


Vampire Knight: Rewritten

by TheSnowyOwl



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, F/M, Multi, Slow Burn, Vampire Knight - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2019-06-07 13:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 55
Words: 86,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15220232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSnowyOwl/pseuds/TheSnowyOwl
Summary: After the battle at Cross Academy, a newly awakened Yuuki finds herself whisked away to what once was her childhood home, only for it to become her makeshift prison. After a year she discovers new threats, uncovers deep secrets and finds herself in a war with the world and with her heart.TL;DR Rewrite of Vampire Knight following Yuuki's move to the Kuran Manor.





	1. My Beloved Is Now in a Deep, Dark Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the first chapter of VK:RE!
> 
> I'm deeply unsatisfied with the ending of VK, as are many others for numerous reasons. I didn't like what Hino did to the characterisation of her trio for so many reasons - Kaname and Yuuki being the worst off. I also didn't like how underdeveloped and rushed everything felt - plot, characters, you name it. Therefore, I decided to do a little project of my own and indulged myself with some writing. It's by no means perfect, and a lot follows the original story for a while because I'd only tweak and move around certain things at the beginning. 
> 
> The rewrite starts at Chapter 50. You may find yourself reading canon events in the manga in written form, some may be in a greatly different order to canon (much like this chapter is, for example). I know it's tedious, but please bear with it if you can! 
> 
> **THINGS TO BE AWARE OF BEFORE READING:**
> 
> -This story does start out as YUME, however it will change and it is overall NOT a pro-Yume story. If you are not looking for anti-Yume stories or can't stomach the pro-Yume sections of the story, this is not for you.
> 
> -This story will be primarily ZEKI, if you can't stand pro-Zeki, this is not the story for you.
> 
> -I kept honourifics in the story to keep in with the nature of the manga, as it is important in certain chapters for character dynamics and relationships to use those honourifics. 
> 
> Without further ado, let's start :)
> 
>  
> 
> * * *

 

The room was so hot, she could barely breathe. Her mind was riddled with crimson, her eyes saw only blood, she panted as her throat tightened and her heart hammered at a thousand miles per hour in her chest. 

 

She was _so_ thirsty. 

 

Her own blood decorated the walls, she felt filthy and beast-like. She could sense Kaname there, watching her silently, observing her.

 

“Yuuki, we’ve been here half a year now.”

 

She clawed at her head, shaking it furiously.

 

“Is the human part of you in your way?” He approached her trembling form.

 

“Before you become the person you want to, you can wait for all other things. However, this can’t wait.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her upwards. She jolted sharply at the scent of fresh blood.

 

Instinctively she lurched for his bleeding arm, but he lifted it out of her reach, keeping her wrist firmly in the grip of his other hand. 

 

“Yuuki, use your own fangs and get the blood. You are not a child anymore.”

 

She shook her head and continued desperately to reach out. Finally, Kaname relented, stroking her hair as she fed from his wrist.

 

“I wonder why the monster inside you desires my blood so much.” 

 

She gripped onto his wrist tightly as he kissed a strand of her hair, her bracelet weighing down her arm.

 

* * *

 

She hadn’t seen the outside world for almost a year. 

 

For her protection, she had to remember that, even though it was unfair. 

 

Just because she could no longer see it, however, didn’t mean she couldn’t smell it. Even now, as she sat at her desk with her pen in hand, the scent of snow was faint but present nonetheless. Her hand hovered over the parchment, all words forgotten. 

 

_ Do you still feel scared? _

 

There was a tightening in her throat, the grip on her pen loosened. 

 

There was a loud knock before the door practically slammed open. The pen slipped from her startled hands and clattered on the desk. Hanabusa was at the door, piercing blue eyes admonishing her. _Damn it, she hadn’t been studying._

 

“Yuuki Cross! What are you doing, spacing out? Have you done your review?”

 

She wondered why, even now, he still referred to her by that name.

 

“What is that, a drawing?” He strode over to her, all regard for manner and decorum lost to him. 

 

Fumbling suddenly, Yuuki spluttered and made a messy yet successful effort at hiding the parchment in her desk drawer. 

 

“Please don’t look at this, it’s a letter!” She shoved the personal space invader away from her and slammed the drawer shut. 

 

Hanabusa smoothed down his vest once he could balance himself and cleared his throat in a haughty fashion. _That girl, she hurt his neck!_

 

“Well, can we start then?” He asked, picking up the chairs which had fallen to the floor unceremoniously in Yuuki’s whirlwind. 

 

He regarded Yuuki as he took his seat and opened the large, dusty book. She looked flustered, it must have been an important letter. Her hands balled into small fists.

 

“I’m in charge of your education,” he reminded her pointedly, “now, sit down and turn to Page 167.” 

 

When Yuuki made no move to sit down, he held back a sigh. She was worried he would tell Kaname, evidently. He couldn’t blame her, many luxuries she once had as a human were snatched away practically overnight. Idly, he wondered what it was like for someone so lively to become so caged.

 

“I’m not going to tell Kaname-sama. He will only worry if he knows you’re writing these un-sendable letters.” 

 

Still no response. 

 

“He had to keep you in here for your safety.” 

 

Yuuki’s eyes cast downward to her hands, still clenched into fists. Clearly, this angle wasn’t working for him. 

 

“Who are you writing to?” He knew the answer already.

 

There was a pause.

 

“Yori-chan.”

 

Her lie was smooth, but he knew better. 

 

“Is that so?” His words were idle, feigning disinterest. 

 

A flush spread across Yuuki’s cheeks. She huffed at him. 

 

“Well, who else would it…” She trailed off. He called her bluff far too easily. Another lesson to learn from. 

 

Hanabusa didn’t meet her eyes, instead looking to the desk drawer. He could sense her unease and sighed.

 

“Your secret is safe with me. I won’t bring any sort of worry to you or to Kaname-sama.”

 

“Why do you care so much about how Kaname-senpai feels?” 

 

The honorific she used, Kaname grew weary of hearing it, but yet she persisted. He wondered why.

 

“Purebloods naturally draw in vampires, like moths to flames. I want to prove to him that the care I have for him is genuine, and not just a forged attraction from his blood.” 

 

He didn’t know why he was telling her something so personal, and when her face rounded with curiosity he became flustered.

 

“Well, you’d feel the same if it was you, I’m sure! You have the advantage of being human before, so you know what’s real!” If he could have clapped a hand over his mouth in that moment, he would have.

 

After all, he knew that her human days were sometimes a sore topic. 

 

Her face fell, if only for a moment, but then lit up with a new idea.

 

“I want to learn more about my family, about vampires, about these so-called bonds.” 

 

“But you have so much to learn academically as it is and-”

 

“-and I will have eternity to learn those things, remember?” 

 

Hanabusa, caught somewhat off guard, stared at the determined girl thoughtfully.

 

“Well, I guess I could give you the library key. But you’ll have to keep quiet about it.”

 

“I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m sure Kaname-senpai would understand.”

 

“Senpai?”

 

In a matter of seconds Hanabusa stumbled to his feet, keeping the chair steady. 

 

“Kaname-sama!”

 

The man at the door, tall and shrouded in shadows, looked as tired as he sounded.

 

“When will you just call me Kaname, Yuuki?” 

 

“Oniisama…” She blurted out, guilt tinging her tone of voice. 

 

The blonde glanced at Yuuki incredulously. _One honorific to another, this girl!_

 

Yuuki scurried over to her brother, who towered over her petite stature. 

 

“You came home today? I’m glad you’re back early!”

 

Her voice was so hopeful that it almost pained Hanabusa, who could tell from Kaname’s stance alone that he wasn’t looking to settle at home anytime soon.

 

“I’m sorry, but I have to leave right away.”

 

Yuuki’s step faltered, but she did her best not to look defeated. 

 

There was a brief silence.

 

“Yuuki.” His voice was soft but expectant, and once realisation struck the flustered teen tip-toed up to kiss Kaname’s cheek.

 

“Welcome home.”

 

Hanabusa sighed, but it wasn’t a sigh of jealousy or awe. He didn’t really know what he felt in that moment, something that should have seemed picture perfect. Before he could think about it further,a man’s cough of interruption disturbed the moment.

 

It was his father, Hanabusa realised to his horror, who was interrupting Kaname.

 

“We have to hurry, Kaname-sama.”

 

Kaname acknowledged him, his presence surprising Yuuki. She hadn’t seen Nagamichi for a while, but any trace of the outside world was a comfort to her. She could see the dusting of snow on his coat and in his hair, and the faintest indication of cold flushing his worn cheeks.

 

“Good evening.” Yuuki bowed in greeting. 

 

Upon seeing the young woman, Nagamichi bowed profusely, flustered that he hadn’t greeted her sooner. Like father, like son. Yuuki raised her hands, trying her best to calm the embarrassed man. Nagamichi met her soft, somewhat amused gaze with wondering eyes. 

 

“Have a safe trip, Oniisama.” Yuuki smiled brightly at her brother, who regarded her with a strange stare before turning away to the door.

 

“I’m leaving now. Yuuki, I’ll let you have fresh air soon. I’ve decided to talk to the council.” 

 

Those words turned the atmosphere, the latter of which made Yuuki hopeful in a way she hadn’t been for quite some time. Hanabusa, however, could sense unease and reluctance in Kaname’s tone. 

 

Once Kaname had left, Hanabusa turned to pick up the book he was intending to use for teaching Yuuki. However, when he turned back around the book was almost dropped to the floor in sheer surprise, as the teen was now taking her turn to break into his personal space.

 

“About that key…” Her smile was pure joy and pure devilishness at the same time. He gulped.

 

Even as she scuttles off to the library, Yuuki’s mind is still tied to the unfinished letter inside her drawer.

 

_What are you thinking about right now?_


	2. Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been almost a year for Zero Kiryuu since that fateful day on the battlefield at Cross Academy. In that time, he has become a keen hunter and is climbing the ranks. During the daytime, however, he is still attending the Academy. His seemingly repetitive lifestyle is disrupted when an uninvited visitor delivers some unwanted, but necessary, news. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 50 & 51.

 

“The society has decided to settle this ‘in the dark’. Thanks to it, other than getting rid of the Night Class, nothing else has changed in the Academy from middle school to college in the year after what happened.” 

 

It was true, hard work was done to restore what they could of the buildings, and things were back to normal as quickly as could be for the Day Class students.

 

“The Night Class dorm was taken down because it was too old, the ‘training’ against the intruders and the students memories of the vampires. Although the ones who had nothing to do with it or had chosen, their memories were erased, but the stubborn ones who refused to have their memories erased still remember what happened.” 

 

Impatiently, Toga slammed a thick book onto the desk in front of Kaien with a large thud.

 

“It’s about time! Read this detailed book too, you idiot.”

 

He leaned back against his chair, legs perched on the desk casually.

 

“Anyways, you’re back as Chairman? Well, it makes sense I suppose. No one wants to take the job, all the Heads are boasting nonsense. They say ‘ _the top of the Ichijou group will definitely change sides, so do not cut all of the connections. Do not cut the connections from the Aidous, too. And we must hold onto contact with Kaname Kuran_ ’, things like these.” 

 

After taking a long drag from his cigarette, he puffed a cloud of smoke into the air.

 

“The Heads are all very powerful in either the business or public circles. They might not know the truth about the Night Class, but they are from well known families. The people who do know the truth want to use the vampire’s intelligence technology and even their immortality, same as the society leader and the vampires who wanted your adopted daughter.” 

 

Kaien cast his eyes downward at the mention of his daughter. He hadn’t seen her for so long, now.

 

Toga stood up, dabbing his cigarette in the ash tray. Knowing Kaien didn’t smoke, he picked up the ash tray to take with him.

 

“Now, I will leave this to you. Show me how you’ve improved in this year.”

 

“Thank you for everything.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“From now on, it’s only going to be tougher.”  
  
  
Toga scoffed.

“Of course. Until my stupid apprentice can handle the job of society leader, you will remain as the leader, although it is _me_ who is doing the work. How annoying.” 

 

* * *

 

He knew that he was being followed. It didn’t matter where he went, the same cluster of teens followed steadily not far from him. Finally, he rested near a wall in a quiet place, allowing the pestering followers to approach him and ask him the same questions as always.

  
“How annoying. I’ve told you before, although I belong to the society, I haven’t got the power to speak or decide. Anyway, that’s all I’ve heard from Yagari and the society.” 

 

“Kiryuu, was the Night Class removed because the two sides became enemies?” 

 

“There are vampires that aren’t the enemies, but there are the others too, so don’t hope for some miracle. The ones that are enemies will be hunted down by the society, that’s all.” 

 

The group shared concerned glances between themselves.

 

“I’m leaving now. If you don’t want your memories to be erased, it’s best to stop asking so many questions.”

 

He only managed to make a few strides away from the group when Yori called out to him.

 

“Zero-kun! That girl, will she be hunted down? She did nothing wrong.” 

 

Zero stopped and cast his eyes over his shoulder at the teen, whose face was a picture of worry. The wind swept past them, and Zero turned away, leaving the question looming in the air.

 

* * *

 

As night was falling, so was the snow. A little girl was curled up next to a briefcase, shivering and crying. 

 

Out of nowhere, a figure landed next to her. She was so startled she couldn’t even scream.

 

“My bag. Thanks.” Zero leaned down, picking up the bag from beside the girl.

  
“The guy who wanted to kidnap you is gone, so please don’t worry.” 

 

He gently reached down to pat her head, but she cowered away in fear. Zero recoiled in surprise, but then quickly understood.

 

“You’re probably scared of me, but I won’t do anything to scare you. Come here, I will bring you to your family.” 

 

It didn’t take long to find her grandmother, who was frantically crying and throwing herself at the police.

 

“That’s right officer! That’s why it’s urgent!” 

 

“I see. A student from Cross Academy went after the man who took your grandchild. Don’t worry, backup will be here soon.” 

 

Carefully, Zero set the little girl on the ground, ruffling her hair with a kind smile before letting her go.

 

“Grandma!” The little girl called out, waddling towards her despaired grandmother.

 

“Oh! Mii-chan! Thank God, you’re okay! Thank God you ran away!” 

 

“No! This Oniichan saved me!” 

 

But she pointed at empty space, for Zero was already gone.

 

* * *

 

He walked home in complete silence, keeping his eyes ahead and his mind nowhere in particular. When he ascended the steps to his apartment and entered, however, he realised something was different. Carefully, he aligned himself with the strongest sense of the scent. Then, he slammed his fist into the wall, creating a gaping hole, and shot at will. 

 

Having somehow dodged the bullets, Kaien was stood looking incredibly sheepish and even quite startled. 

 

“Chairman.”

 

“Sorry for the intrusion, but Kiryuu-kun I built this building a long time ago, it will break if you mess it up too much, okay?”

 

He scowled at the man.  


  
“Your breath sometimes has the smell of a vampire, you’re annoying.” He grumbled, making his way around to the door of his apartment. 

 

“Why are you here? Aren’t you busy getting chased after by the society and everyone else?” 

 

He threw his bag onto the chair.

 

“I was, yes. However, it was decided that I should reinstate myself as Chairman of the school, in the best interests of those attending the Academy. I’m pleased that you continue to attend school.”

 

Zero collapsed onto his bed in exhaustion, embracing the feel of soft linen sheets and the smell of what he could call home, despite how uncomfortable the bed itself was. 

 

“Well, you told me to. I didn’t want you to keep pestering me about it.”

 

“But why not go back to the dormitory?” 

 

Zero sighed.

 

“Going to school in the day and hunting vampires at night-”

 

“So in exchange you can stay here?” 

 

“I don’t want to stay at the dormitory, because I get very hungry at night. If I don’t hunt vampires at night, then I’d feel as though I’d done something horrible. Why not just hunt whenever you’d like to? Though even then, that's not enough.”

 

“Following the list is to prevent us from becoming murdering machines. The list for today hasn’t come out yet, so where did you go after school? Your back is covered in dust.”

 

He hesitated. 

 

“Two people. One who kidnaps and the other who receives. I knew somebody is behind this, but I didn’t ask.”

 

“Kiryuu-kun, they didn’t need to be killed!”

 

“It’s okay, they were on the list a long time ago. I can just make up a reason later.”

 

Defeated, Kaien sighed to himself, rubbing his cheek. Zero sat himself up and popped open a box of tablets.

 

“Sorry, it’s probably because I haven’t seen you in so long, I worry too much. I’m probably wasting your…time.” 

 

He watched, alarmed, as Zero wolfed down practically an entire box of tablets.

 

“When did you start taking this amount of tablets?”

 

“From when I could take them, a year ago.” 

 

Kaien’s heart stopped.

 

“I see, it’s already been a year.” 

 

“Thanks to Ichiru-kun and _him_ , I was able to get Shizuka’s blood, which calmed down the Level E. But I don’t know, maybe the difference between Level E and vampires is slightly fighting between insanity.”

 

“Well, in your current condition, it should be fine to tell you the reason why I came.”

 

There was a pause.

 

“What is it?”

 

“After the council disappeared, I know you’ve been busy. Without the restraint of the council, some vampires have become uncontrollable.”

 

“I’ve been trying to get my hands on the person who is behind all this. I want to destroy the hand behind this, but it continues to stay in the ‘dark’.” 

 

Another pause.

 

“Kaname-kun contacted the society.” 

 

Zero looked up with alarm at Kaien, who shifted his weight. 

 

“He said he wants to re-establish an agreement.” 

 

Zero couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

 

“In order to take control, he stayed in the ‘dark’. Since things are ready now, he wants to talk to the new society members.”

 

An overwhelming surge of emotion flooded through Zero’s veins and made his head spin. He gripped his head tightly, trying to steady himself, not noticing the crack forming by his own forces in the window. Kaien stayed silent, allowing Zero to compose himself. 

 

“Can we trust him? Is it not to prepare for the declaration of war?”

 

“‘If you come outside, I will kill you’, did you tell him this?” Kaien asked calmly, knowing Zero would not need to confirm it either way.

 

“Now, to get the vampires to behave, I need him.” Zero reluctantly admitted, cradling his head in his hand. 

 

“I see.” Kaien reached up and traced a finger along the crack in the window.

 

“If you think this way then your position will change, this is the order from the Society for you. You must attend this meeting. They say ‘ _looking at his strength, this boy will become the President of the Society in the future_ ’, Kiryuu-kun.” 


	3. An Unquenchable Thirst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Left alone with her thoughts, Yuuki finds herself reflecting on the heavy burden that eternity brings upon someone. The conflict that stirs the snowy pile resting atop her heart sets her body reeling, the thirst clawing at her throat. To make matters worse, a discovery from the library sets Hanabusa on edge and leaves Yuuki questioning just how much is still being kept from her even after almost a year. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 51.

 

Yuuki lay sprawled out on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. She was lucky that Ruka wasn’t around, she wouldn’t like to be caught lying in a rather unladylike fashion by her, denting the progress in her training.

 

Surrounding her were piles of books she’d taken from the library, containing all sorts of stories in all sorts of different languages. It was frustrating not being able to read all of them, but she was devouring the ones she could eagerly.

 

The more she read, the more memories pricked at the back of her mind.

 

_Always, and always. I will always hide from you until one of us turns to dust, disappearing from this world._

 

It was a bitter recollection that stung her heart through the cool snow she’d piled upon it almost a whole year ago.  _Yes, one of us will turn to dust, but only one._

 

Feeling the familiar tightening in her throat, Yuuki turned onto her side. There, placed on top of a book pile, was the resin rose. A precious gift and also a reminder.

 

_“How long is always, Kaname-sama?”_

 

_Her older brother stirred at the question, she watched him with innocently curious eyes. Just a few moments before, she had been reading him a tale about dashing knights, gentle damsels and fearless Kings and he was about to settle into a doze._

 

_“Always is always, Yuuki.”_

 

_She didn’t seem to understand. He reached up and gently stroked her cheek._

 

_“Even if you’re at the world’s end, there are still farther places to go. Always.”_

 

_Her eyes rounded in what seemed like surprise or even shock. She settled her head on Kaname’s chest, clutching the book tightly to herself._

 

_“But then, someone going to a far away place like that, that’s lonely Kaname-sama.”_

 

_She couldn’t see the look on her brother’s face, but felt his hand settling in her hair._

 

_“Yeah, it’s been lonely.”_

 

Yuuki blinked away the memory, suddenly realising what Kaname had said all those years ago.

 

“Been…?”

 

She tried to sit up, but her body just wouldn’t move. Trembling, she clutched at herself.  _Not again._

 

It was frightening, the thought of living forever. She could have scoffed at the human her who was afraid of death but not afraid of immortal life, perhaps foolishly thinking she would not experience immortality and so she would not have to worry about it.

 

But she did have to worry about it. Her life was an always, whereas her loved ones would wither away. Would she see them before then? Yori and her adoptive father and…Zero?

 

_No_ , she tightened her grip on her arms,  _we’re enemies now._

 

_“Being enemies is for the best Oneechama. You will not die, just like Kaname-sama.”_

 

Her eyes flickered over to the figure of a little girl shrouded in blood and ash, clutching her favourite childhood book.  _It was her, the little girl she was so long ago._

 

“I know that.” Her voice came out so raspy it didn’t even sound like her.

 

_“You don’t know anything!”_ The little Yuuki snapped, the bubble of gore surrounding her pulsating and growing in size bit by bit.

 

_“Why would you want to resist me otherwise? Waking “me” up to try and throw “me” away, that’s cruel Oneechama!”_

 

Her little hand thrust out, tears beginning to stream down her face as Yuuki watched helplessly.

 

_“Hey! Is it a sin, spending the lonely eternity with somebody to lean on? The sad and bitter feeling of something stuck in your throat, yet you hate to leave?”_

 

She didn’t want to hear any more of this. The little girl was becoming even more engulfed right before her eyes.

 

_“The “me” that has this feeling of a vampire is you!”_

 

Yuuki felt herself reach out at what felt like lightning speed, freeing her from whatever weighed her down to the ground before. The gory sight, including the little girl, had gone and were replaced with a toppled pile of books. In her hand, she held onto the resin rose.

 

She brought the rose close, noticing the crack splintering through the resin. Tears filled her eyes and she began to talk desperately to no one in particular.

 

“I want to lean on him because of loneliness. He undertook everything because of me, how bitter and painful.”

 

Yes, no matter how she painted it, it would always be her that caused her beloved brother to suffer. He had said it himself, and she had carried the guilt ever since. Did he fear that she would be a human until death, and that he would face eternity alone?

 

She gazed down at the rose again, and caught the golden embellishment of the book it had been resting on from the corner of her eye. Setting the ornament down, she reached over and picked the book up.

 

For some reason, the book didn’t have a title.

 

After taking a quick glance of her surroundings, Yuuki began to read. The book was written many millennia ago, that much she could deduce already by the type of language used and the fancy, if not exaggerated, embellishments decorating each page.

 

_A Pureblooded vampire, the strongest of all the vampire race, have natural dominion over all other vampires. The blood of a Pureblood grants them immortality, for the structure within the blood cell contains healing properties that sustains the life force of a Pureblood and forces rapid mutations of the white blood cells should the body ever be under attack. The healing properties of the blood also acts as a preservative for the organs, preserving an adult Pureblood like a glass sculpture._

 

_Their blood also exudes a special pheromone that acts as a natural attractant to other vampires. This pheromone may induce feelings of euphoria, affection and loyalty, allowing the Pureblood to manipulate their subjects._

 

Yuuki shifted uncomfortably at the thought.  _So this must be what Hanabusa had meant by wanting to show Kaname-Oniisama that he truly cares beyond the natural blood attraction._ She continued reading, interest piqued.

 

_Unlike any other vampire, Purebloods have an infinite lifespan. While it is possible to kill a Pureblood, it is not an easy process. The lower tier a vampire is, the more vulnerable they are, even despite the healing properties in their blood. Although they do have preservatives in their bodies, a lower tier vampire does not have the same quality of blood as the highest tier. Therefore, a lower tier vampire will turn to dust when killed._

 

Another reminder that kicked her in the chest. He always hated it, the feeling of raw vulnerability, yet she was the only one who saw it. The agony, the depression, the desperation, the  _fear_. She knew they were enemies now, that she should not care any longer, that she had someone to lean on now for the rest of time where  _he_  couldn’t. Still, her thoughts always drifted back to him. The conflict in her mind started a flurry that swept at the snowy pile over her heart.

 

It was no good to keep thinking about him, it was cruel to Kaname to keep clutching at what  _was_  and not look to what  _is_.

 

_Kaname_.

 

She wanted his blood, she wanted to taste the feelings he had for her in them, to quell these newfound fears and validate her being.

 

A sharp jolt in her body had her clutching her neck in pain.

 

_Lavender and blood, a blend of floral and metal, that’s how he smelled when he kissed her._

 

Shoving away the piles of books, she found herself writhing on the floor.

 

_“Do you still feel scared?”_

 

“No!” She cried out, the intense thirst strangling her voice. Her body felt like it was on fire.

 

She had to push it all away, she had to leave it all behind. She needed blood. Where was Kaname?

 

“Hey, Yuuki Cross!”

 

The familiar voice sent a rush of what felt like relief mingled with fear coursing through her. She tried to speak, to tell him to leave quickly, but the words wouldn’t come out.

 

_Kaname, please come quickly, I don’t want to attack anyone for their blood, that’s part of why I’m hidden away right? So come home already!_

 

“Hey!” She felt Hanabusa’s hands on her shoulder, shaking her slightly.

 

“I can’t!” She managed, tears brimming in her eyes.

 

“Yes you can, just take deep breaths. Deep breaths!”

 

She tried to even her breathing, but even then her heartbeat was an erratic drum in her ears.

 

“Recite what we learned yesterday to me.”

 

“But-”

 

“Recite it to me!” She could hear the desperation and worry in his voice, and shut her eyes tightly.

 

She didn’t know what she was saying, everything was a blur. Images of slender, tattooed necks and fresh snow falling on the battlefield began to fade into obscurity. When she opened her eyes, she finally saw Hanabusa for the first time. He was sat next to her, a look of great concern maturing his youthful features. Weakly, she smiled.

 

“I think it worked.”

 

He sighed.

 

“You’ve had Kaname-sama’s blood?”

 

She was taken off guard by the question, but he looked serious.

 

“Well, yes, but the way I drank it was-”

 

“Then why are you still thirsty?” He interrupted, only meeting her gaze briefly before turning his head away. She looked almost ashamed.

 

As she sat up, his eyes caught sight of the book she had been reading, and his expression darkened slightly.

 

“Where did you find that?” He gestured to the book.

 

Yuuki could feel the tense aura radiating from Hanabusa and bowed her head.

 

“When I was picking out books, I accidentally opened a passage. I found these books in a room at the bottom of the steps. There was another room, but I couldn't get the door open.”

 

The silence made her uncomfortable. She peered up at Hanabusa through her bangs, noticing immediately that he looked paler than usual all of a sudden.

 

“I gave you the key to the library, but only the library. You mustn’t go into other rooms, Kaname-sama would surely find out and punish us.”

 

She wanted to retort something in defiance or self defence, but knew better than to do so. Kaname was easy on Yuuki, but he unleashed all manners of wrath on Hanabusa. It made her wonder why he’d risk giving her the key in the first place. Realising he was holding out his hand, Yuuki reluctantly gave him the key, which was acting as a makeshift bookmark.

 

“I’m going to return these books. Please, don’t do it again.” He began to collect up the books, including the one she was most interested in. Helplessly, she watched him leave.

 

When he was out of sight, tucked away in the library's secret room, he opened the book.


	4. A Beast Mad For Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruka and Akatsuki are sent on a mysterious mission. Meanwhile, Yuuki finally reunites with Kaname after days of absence outside of a room she's never seen before. Their reunion sparks feelings of confusion, fear, hurt and passion - while Yuuki continues to bear her heart for what it is, Kaname shrouds himself in secrecy. One thing is for certain - there is something about that room that Kaname is hiding from her. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 51 & 52.

 

The crunching of footsteps came to a halt once the extravagant building came into their view. It was so obscure that you could really miss it if you weren’t looking in the right part of the mountains and its abundant forestry. 

 

“A sleeping castle within the crack of the ground…” 

 

Ruka seemed to be lost in her own thought as she stared down towards the castle. 

 

“It exists in a place like this,” She remarked, “how quiet.” 

 

Akatsuki voiced his agreement. Indeed, it was quiet. In fact, it was too quiet. 

 

Almost in sync, the pair whipped around and found themselves evading the attack of a woman with a long staff that looked considerably deadly. Instinctively, Akatsuki shielded Ruka from the brunt of the attack. The woman’s weapon slammed into the rocky terrain, scattering stones and debris. 

 

“You wish to wake my Masters? Go away, or else you will turn to dust and flow back to your Masters!” She threatened, her voice carried a heavy accent.

 

Akatsuki remained collected and calm, infuriating the woman further.

 

“I think you must have been mistaken.” He began coolly. 

 

“The present Head of Kuran just wanted us to take a look.” Ruka interjected, her tone firm but politer than Akatsuki's. 

 

The woman pulled a face.

 

“The present Head of Kuran?” 

 

“Yes. Not enemies.” 

 

Her arms relaxed, though she kept her grip on her weapon.

 

“Then send him a message. The Pureblood family of Hanadagi has no desire to mangle in the struggle to power. This place is where my Masters plan to sleep for 500 years.”

 

The two listened silently, neither sparing a look to the other.

 

“Anyway, for the next 400 years I will follow my orders to not let anyone come close. The Eternal trip requires a long rest. The result of tiredness is falling apart.”

 

* * *

 

 

The light of the lamp was warm against Yuuki’s hand. She finished her letter and sealed it in an envelope. When she opened the drawer, she let out a small sigh. The pile accumulating only grew, but they’d all be letters she’d never dare send, even when she could go outside again. 

 

_One day, when I can finally let go, I’ll burn them._

 

It was a lie, she knew that. One part of her heart was always going to be attached to Zero, no matter what. 

 

A sudden scent, distant but present, alerted her. She could sense Kaname’s presence. 

 

“Oniisama?” She turned her head, but no one was behind her. 

 

Putting the letter away and securing it in the desk drawer with her little key, she set off out of the room and down a spiralling staircase. She hadn’t been this deep underground in the manor before, and it seemed like no one else had for some time either. Her heels echoed noisily against the stone steps, cobwebs looming above her head and dust trailing along the rail. 

 

She was getting closer, she could tell. 

 

The narrow hallway was dimly lit by torches, reminding her of vague horror stories filled with ghosts and dungeons. At the end of the hallway there was a large door. He was there, she just knew it. Her footsteps picked up in pace. Why was he in there? 

 

From behind, two arms circled around her, stopping her from moving any further. She recognised the scent immediately as it flooded her senses. 

 

“Kaname-Oniisama!”

 

She wanted to turn to face him, but his hold was firm.

 

“Where are you going, Yuuki?”  
  
  
“I…I sensed your presence.” She felt sheepish, smaller.

 

His eyes drifted to her hands, which were still suspended in the air, as though reaching for something. He frowned at the sight of light marks on her wrist.

 

“Have you been biting yourself?”

 

She froze, hearing him sigh.

 

“Well, I’m here now. You can’t go on doing that any longer.” 

 

She nodded. 

 

“I know.”

 

He loosened his grip, allowing her to turn to face him properly. His darkened expression coupled with the light of the fiery torches made him appear taller and more intimidating. She felt a shiver running down her spine.

 

“Are you cold, Yuuki?” His tone was soft, concerned.

 

She shook her head and feigned a smile.

 

“I was thinking the other day about when we were little.” 

 

He shifted slightly, his eyes warm with interest.

 

“You listened to me reading a story and I asked you suddenly about what ‘always’ meant. I’d said always must be lonely and you said that it has ‘been’ lonely.”

 

She felt him stiffen and hoped she hadn’t touched a nerve. 

 

“I just wanted to know what you meant.” Her voice was smaller, but he heard her nonetheless. 

 

The crackling fire was all that could be heard echoing down the long hallway for what felt like an eternity in itself. 

 

“Almost a year ago you said to me that you would fall to the depths with me, that you’d be tainted willingly by my hands.” Kaname said finally.

 

Yuuki frowned.

 

“I did say that, yes.”

 

He cupped her face in his hands and stared down into her eyes, his expression appearing pained.

 

“Even now, after all that’s happened in just this space of time, you still feel that way?”   
  
  
“Kaname-Oniisama…”

 

“You know that my blood alone will not sate your thirst, don’t you?” 

 

_Why is he bringing this up now?_ The shame welled up inside. 

 

“Yes, part of my heart will always belong to Zero. Even so, I want to stay.”

 

“It’s fine that this other person is in your heart. But to stay even though you’re in such pain, I must really be in your heart.” 

 

He leaned in close, attempting to capture a kiss. Yuuki ducked away and tried to wriggle from his embrace.

 

“No, you shouldn’t kiss me, you can’t!” 

 

He grabbed her wrist tightly before she could run.

 

“You’re leaving me? I thought you wanted to stay.”

 

Her heart felt like it had been punched. She stopped and looked at her beloved brother, who held an expression of hurt.

 

“I do. I do! But you deserve better! Such a request is selfish!”

 

His grip tightened to the point where it began to hurt.

 

“You’re right, you’re a selfish, terrible fiancee.”

 

Another punch to the heart. Tears threatened to form. No, she had to resist this. She struggled again, trying to pull his hand off of her.

 

“Yuuki.” His voice was calm.

  
“If I’m that horrible then-”

 

“Yuuki.” But then it became firm, scolding even.

 

She snapped her gaze up to meet his, her face twisted into a tearful frown. Seeing the look on his face, she relaxed somewhat, allowing him to pull her into a tight embrace. His fingers weaved through her hair.

 

“No matter what you do to me, you bring colour to my life. That’s why, no matter what, I can’t let go of you. If you can still accept me and all I have done, even now despite the divide in your heart, then one day…one day I’ll tell you what ‘been’ means to me.” 

 

Slowly, Yuuki felt herself calming down. The hum of his blood fell into a rhythm with the beating of his heart. Always so steady, as if nothing in the world could stir him.

 

“You’re listening to my blood. Do you want it?” 

 

She peered up at her brother, whose face was cloaked in almost complete darkness.

 

“Give me more pain, Yuuki.”

 

Her eyes widened, his words made her heart ache in sadness.

 

“Take my blood as your only food.”

 

Her hands hesitated on the buttons of his coat. 

 

“Same with me,” she said finally, “Oniisama can do anything to me.”

 

Slowly, she unbuttoned the top buttons of his coat, watching as his expression relaxed in what seemed like contentment.

 

“I know.” He murmured, closing his eyes.

 

Kaname suddenly moved himself to kneel on the floor, granting Yuuki access to his exposed neck. She cupped his face in her hands this time, taking in his features.

 

“You’re strong and beautiful, my Oniisama.”

 

She leaned towards his neck, pushing aside the collar of his shirt. 

 

“Why is it me?” She practically whispered, sinking her fangs into his neck as his arms snaked around her. 

 

_If she wanted to get outside, she had to control her thirst._

 

As she drank, a new fragment flooded her vision. A memory shrouded in fog of what seemed to be her brother, clad in uniform, clenching the broken glass of a mirror and weeping. He was outside of those very same doors. 

 

She pulled away in surprise, and realised she was crying. Leaning up, she laid eyes on the door. 

 

“What’s behind that door?” 

 

Kaname’s arms around her waist stopped her from moving away. He didn’t say anything, but she knew he felt vulnerable in some way. Submissively, she wrapped her arms around him, stroking his hair gently. The door would have to wait for a later conversation.


	5. Weapons, Secrets and Tombstones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Determined to become independent, Yuuki actively does her best to work hard. However, when Kaname approaches her with a beloved memento of the past and a painful request that cuts through her heart, a year's worth of insecurities and isolation bubbles to the surface. While Yuuki takes her independence into her own hands, Zero visits a familiar place and is reunited with a difficult fragment of his past.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 51, 53, 57 and 59.

 

_Easy does it, easy, easy! Woah!_

 

Her foot slipped and she felt herself flying forward, the book clattering on the step behind her. Instinctively, she pushed her foot off of the nearest step and turned the fall into a jump, landing as gracefully as she could on the bottom step.

 

“Yes! A perfect landing.” She smiled to herself, _not bad for a girl in pin heels._

 

“Yuuki, Are you doing Ruka’s homework?”

 

Startled, she looked up at Kaname, who regarded her with an amused smile and an outstretched hand. Embarrassed, she took his hand, rubbing the back of her head with the other as he helped her up. 

 

“Yes,” she admitted, “but it’s still not really elegant! It’s hard work!” 

 

She laughed, more to herself than anyone else. Ruka had given her lessons that she'd promised were to aid her once she was ready to go back outside and meet the rest of society as the Princess she was. Eager to see more than the four walls of her home, Yuuki did her absolute best and practised regularly, even if her feet hurt afterwards.

 

“I’m fine, though. I won’t let Oniisama be embarrassed when the time comes.” 

 

His smile faltered and he tilted his head to the side slightly.

 

“I have something for you, Yuuki.” 

 

“Oh?” She blinked, and finally noticed that his other hand was holding a sleek box. Wordlessly, he lifted it and opened it for her. 

 

She gasped softly.

 

There, on a bed of velvet, was Artemis. She wanted to reach for her beloved weapon, but hesitated. He closed the box and handed it to her, rendering her speechless. 

 

“Thank you, Oniisama, but…why?” 

 

“Yuuki, I meant what I said. I can’t let you go. If that day were to come I’d rather die by your hand, or have you die by mine.” 

 

The world seemed to stop spinning, if just for a moment. 

 

“Oniisama…”

 

“If ever you change your mind, I want you to do it.”

 

Her eyes cast downward and she frowned deeply, feeling a storm of emotions brewing inside, emotions she had bottled up since she comforted Kaname outside of the mysterious room. It was just too much, Hanabusa’s reaction to that book and where she'd found it, then Kaname’s distant and tumultuous behaviour. She was being kept in the dark about something yet again.

 

“You know, don’t you?”

 

“Yuuki?”

 

“About me using the library, you know there’s something in there you don’t want me to find out about, don’t you? Something to do with that room?” 

 

He didn’t reply, but she could feel a distinct change in his aura, confirming what she already suspected. 

 

Feeling tears beginning to sting her eyes, tears she refused to cry, she looked at Kaname with a mixture of anger and sadness.

 

“When will you stop lying to me and keeping secrets from me?” 

 

His continued lack of response ignited a strength inside that she’d thought she’d forgotten. Briefly she stormed upstairs, leaving Kaname alone. When she returned, she was dressed in a pink coat, light clothes and boots, shoving the box containing Artemis into a little satchel.

 

“Where are you going?” His voice was almost monotonous. 

 

“Out.” She walked to the door and threw it open, then took her first steps outside. 

 

Fresh, cool air filled her lungs. She smelled the damp pine from the trees, heard the chirping of songbirds as dawn broke in the distance and felt a gentle breeze caressing her face. She was _free_.

 

Hanabusa rushed to Kaname’s side, baffled as he watched Yuuki storm away.

 

“With all due respect, Kaname-sama, why don’t you stop her?” 

 

He sighed.

 

“There’s no point in doing that.”

 

His gaze rested on Hanabusa.

 

“Besides, you’ll keep an eye on her for me.”

 

“Eh?” 

 

Without another word, Kaname pushed Hanabusa out of the door.

 

“I have a meeting to attend this morning. Don’t let her get hurt.”

 

The door slammed in Hanabusa’s face, and he found himself playing catch up with the defiant teen. 

 

* * *

 

Zero didn’t like going to the cemetery. Yuuki would drag him there sometimes to visit Momoyama, but it was never the place he’d go to of his own free will. Knowing his parents were there, and now his brother too, was too much to bear. Yet here he was, walking past countless rows of graves with a bouquet of flowers, birds chirping from high up in the treetops. It didn’t matter how long he would go without visiting, he always knew exactly where they were. 

 

Once he’d reached his destination, he laid the flowers down by the headstone. His knees gave out and he collapsed, alone, on his brother’s grave. Softly, he placed a kiss to the stone, and closed his eyes, allowing a gentle wind to sweep over him. It had been a long morning, and the quiet was welcomed. 

 

The meeting he had been to set him on edge even now. He hadn’t seen the face he’d hated so much for so long that just the sight sent his blood boiling beneath his usual cold composure. He didn’t know what Kaname had meant by him not being Yuuki’s real brother, but something told him that Yuuki did not know the truth even now. 

 

_The loathsome Pureblood had sat at the table, an air of regal arrogance surrounding him in its natural fashion._

 

_“Yes, it is as you say Master Hunters, the position of leader of our society may have moved to me but that is all. It does not mean that our race’s lifestyle or principles have changed as well. Is it not the same with your association?”_

 

_Zero’s eyes narrowed, he glanced over to Kaien and Yagari but they didn’t respond._

 

_“The one common point of change,” Kaname continued, “is that both sides got to drive the ‘pus out of their wounds’ with all of this.”_

 

_This seemed to stir Yagari, who gruffly replied,_

 

_“‘Driving the pus out’, huh? You don’t say…! We are still busy as hell driving out the ‘pus’ that came pouring out of the former vampire government because of that!”_

 

_His anger didn’t seem to rattle the Kuran King. In fact, it made him smile._

 

_“I am deeply sorry that I couldn’t be of further assistance to you in that, but after all, killing vampires is your job isn’t it?”_

 

_Silence returned to the room, focusing the attention back on him._

 

_“Your ancestors a long, long time ago were determined to get their hands on enough power to exterminate vampires…that they went as far as devouring a founding ancestor of our race to gain it.”_

 

_Once again, this prompted Yagari to respond._

 

_“Can you get any more blatant than that in your implications that we ought to take care of the extermination process in order to atone for the sin of our ancestors?”_

 

_And once again, the Kuran King responded with amusement, this time a chuckle._

 

_“I apologise, my words were inappropriate.”_

 

_As though a switch was flipped, Kaname’s face suddenly became cold. His glare pierced through Zero, who challenged him with his own icy expression. The tension grew for just a few seconds before Kaname turned his attention to Kaien._

 

_“I would like to hold a banquet in a few days in honour of this meeting. Mr President, Yuuki is in good health and will be attending, I hope you will be able to spend some time with her.”_

 

_To his credit, Kaien’s persona didn’t crack under the mention of his adopted daughter._

 

_“It would be an honour on behalf of all of us to accept the invitation, I will spend time with Yuuki when I can, thank you.”_

 

_Zero tried not to scowl. This was all Kaname’s plan, to try and get him to react. He would not let him win._

 

_“In conclusion of this meeting, our societies will continue working together for the sake of coexistence, on a higher level of cooperation than ever before…and unless we have a legitimate reason, the Hunter Association will pose no threat to your lives.”_

 

_Kaien waited for Kaname’s reaction with patient eyes._

 

_“As for us, we believe that collaborating with the Association is the best choice for both of our races to be able to go on coexisting…and so our race will also take upon itself to deliver eternal sleep to any of our kind unduly presenting a threat to human lives.”He finally responded._

 

_“The true complete “coexistence” as you envision it is still a long road away,” he continued, “because before it can become a reality, all of us vampires will have to first manage to overcome our violent nature and become a different sort of creature, sincere and capable of relying solely on logic and reasoning.”_

 

_Zero sensed a bitter undertone in Kaname’s words. He watched him stand up and prepare to take his leave when Kaien spoke up once more._

 

_“Representative Kuran, I have one more question to ask you.”_

 

_Kaname stopped in his tracks._

 

_“The way you solved the council problem a year ago was too drastic. Are you certain that the rest of the vampire population will accept you as their leader? Especially other Purebloods?”_

 

_That same, deadly smile returned to Kaname’s face._

 

_“Indeed. I guess the percentage of attendees to the banquet will answer that question.”_

 

A banquet full of vampires. Not the type of place Zero wanted to be. Still, he supposed he hadn’t a choice in the matter. 

 

“Ichiru.” He whispered, even though no one was around.

 

“I wonder if there’s any humanity left inside me?” 

 

The things he’d done to sustain himself, to steady his thirst, all within the space of a year. It was deplorable how far he’d sunk, how animalistic he became when faced with the prospect of a kill. It scared him. 

 

_“Why are you talking to a grave?”_

 

The hand covering his face trembled slightly. He opened his eyes and slowly made to lean up. 

 

_“I’m not even inside that grave. You’re such a dummy, Zero.”_

 

The sight of his smiling twin brother, whether or not it was an illusion, sent chills through Zero’s body. 

 

_“The place where I actually am is inside you, Zero.”_

 

Their eyes met finally and Ichiru’s expression softened.

 

_“Did you finally decide to listen to my voice?”_

 

Zero couldn’t put the words together to answer him. 

 

_“Did you finally decide to accept what happened one year ago?”_

 

He frowned, but still he could not answer. 

 

As if he could read his thoughts, Ichiru reached out for Zero and cradled his brother’s head against his shoulder.

 

In that moment, he felt so real that Zero could almost forget the truth.

* * *

The train was loud and rattled relentlessly. Hanabusa couldn’t stand it for much longer. If he had his way, he would be on a high end train with plush, velvet seats and trays filled with luxury confectionary, the train itself being only a humming noise in the background that he could tune out.

 

Instead he was sat in a lower class carriage, opposite a very hungry Princess. He watched with half curiosity and half disgust as she gobbled greedily at what appeared to be some sort of sandwich and slurped away at a fizzy drink in a plastic cup, all sense of etiquette tossed out of the window.

 

Noticing his stare, Yuuki gestured for him to have some. Hastily, he shook his head.

 

“No, thank you, I’ve eaten enough.” He hesitated, deciding finally not to tell her until before they left the train that she had food on her face.

 

_The Day Class students once said she was insensitive and bold in how she addressed both Kiryuu and Kaname-sama. They were right when they said she was a big eater despite her size._

 

Yuuki beamed at Hanabusa heartily.

 

“It’s really tasty, are you sure?”

 

He nodded, a small blush creeping onto his cheeks.

 

_They also said she was cute…but of course she would be! She is, after all, Kaname-sama’s sister! No matter how much of a nobody she is to me!_

 

With a small shrug, Yuuki continued her feast.

 

“Don’t tell Ruka-san about this.” She mumbled between bites, clearly enjoying herself way too much.

 

“I wouldn’t dare.” If a vampire could go into cardiac arrest, Ruka surely would at the sight of Yuuki pigging out. Hanabusa knew better than to test that out, no matter how much he loved a scientific experiment.

 

“You know that you haven’t been formally introduced yet, it’s a risk coming outside like this.”

 

She stopped mid-bite, if only for a moment.

 

“Yeah, I know. But it’s alright, I feel we kept quite a low profile for the time we were out.”

 

“So we’re returning home?”

 

After a moment of hesitation, Yuuki shook her head.

 

“There’s one more place I need to go, but it’s on the way home.”

 

* * *

 

Time seemed to stand still, but he was still there, the smell of mint so distant but yet so near.

 

_“Tell me, Zero, what are humans?”_

 

The question was odd, he shifted to peer at his twin, who had a peaceful yet thoughtful look on his face.

 

_“Because, you know, there are humans who desire to take the blood of Purebloods, exactly like vampires too, so what is this “human race” you speak of?”_

 

Zero cast his eyes downward, resting his head once more on his brother’s shoulder. It was strange, for those years of their childhood it was the other way around. Everything was different, now.

 

He heard Ichiru tutting.

 

_“You’re always so serious, forcing yourself to cool your head and trying to hold yourself in check…you dummy…think about it well!”_

 

His younger twin pulled back slightly to look at Zero properly, gently placing a hand on his cheek.

 

_“Zero, there’s one thing I don’t want you to get wrong, whatever you do.”_

 

He gazed straight into his brother’s eyes and it felt as though he were looking into a mirror. Knowing what he was about to say before he could even say it, Zero closed his eyes.

 

_“That one thing is the meaning of the words I told you that day. Live on and fulfil your goal.”_

 

The voice distanced itself into a whisper, and not even a ghostly hand was left once Zero opened his eyes. He was utterly alone once again.

 

_Live on and fulfil your goal._

 

What goal was that, exactly?

 

Flickering images of a past he wanted to forget haunted his vision. Long, flowing dark hair and eyes tinted crimson regarded him calmly. Her uniform was black despite herself, skirt fluttering in the breeze. She clutched a scythe that made her look so small, so vulnerable, and yet so powerful all the same.

 

He felt his hand raise to his throat as it began to tighten with that familiar, uncomfortable thirst.

 

_That’s quite enough of that. She’s dead, now._

 

A mantra he told himself for many nights when the thirst would burn him up from the inside, and one he would continue to tell himself until he turned to dust.

 


	6. Contradictions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outside of the cemetery, Hanabusa and Yuuki find themselves in a dangerous situation, which leaves Yuuki gravely injured. Meanwhile, Kaname laments alone over the contradictions that are slowly consuming him, as a manifestation of his terrible desires taunts him.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 58, 59 & 60.

 

“I’m sure that it’s this way.” 

 

Hanabusa didn’t have a choice even if she were wrong, he had to make sure she was safe or else face the wrath of Kaname. 

 

“Momoyama-san is someone who used to come work for us as a maid at the Chairman’s, before I moved out to the Sun Dorm. I was told that she used to work for the Hunter Association before.”

 

His eyebrow quirked in interest. 

 

“Are you sure it’s alright for us to visit her?”

 

“Why wouldn’t it be? We just have to be quiet.” 

 

He thought her response peculiar, but didn’t question her further. The two walked on for a while until Yuuki came to a stop at a pair of black iron gates. 

 

“Here we are.” She declared, her eyes fixated on the many graves dotted about beyond the gates.

 

“A cemetery…” 

 

Yuuki didn’t meet Hanabusa’s gaze.

 

“Momoyama-san is the only person whose funeral I went to. Her family and friends came too, as well as the Chairman and I, and together we said our goodbyes to her.” She sounded dazed, wistful, as she recalled the memory. 

 

The two stood in silence, neither making a move. 

 

“You aren’t going to go in?” He asked finally.

 

“It’s okay just from over here, too. I was thinking that I don’t know when I’ll have the occasion to come here next, so I got the urge to come and tell her ‘Hi’ today.”

 

He was perplexed.

 

“You want to tell her ‘Hi’…but dead people don’t reply back.” 

 

He wondered if he was being insensitive. 

 

“That’s true.” She said simply. 

 

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Hanabusa glanced about. He noticed a flock of bats in the trees. 

 

_Kaname-sama?_

 

It seemed that Yuuki had noticed them, too.

 

“Weird…Those bats seem to be the same type as Kaname-Oniisama’s, but…”

 

Hanabusa felt his skin prickle. Indeed, they may have looked the same at first glance, but they gave off a completely different aura. 

 

* * *

 

Somewhere hidden away, what appeared to be a little boy used the flock of bats to spy on the pair. He smirked darkly once they noticed and listened in eagerly to their conversation.

 

“How dare this girl claim that my bats have any similarity with those of a mere kid like him?! What an insulting girl…really!” 

 

* * *

 

Suddenly, the bats seemed to leap from the tree, frantically flapping their wings. Hanabusa pulled Yuuki behind him, shielding her from the flock, his hand lifted up as ice began to form. 

 

To his surprise, the bats backed off and came together to form what looked like a child. 

 

“Afternoon!” The boy sneered, “I believe I’m the first to meet you, you must be the sheltered brat of the Kurans?” 

 

Hanabusa scowled at the insolent vampire, but Yuuki gently placed her hand on his arm and stepped forward.

 

“You are a Pureblood too, aren’t you?”

 

“Right on the mark!”

 

The grin on such a youthful face was enough to make Yuuki’s skin crawl.

 

“I’m the head of the Touma Clan, and I’m just here to introduce myself to you~!”

 

Yuuki blinked. _Touma?_  
  
  
Shizuku Touma sneered at her, letting out a sinister sound akin to laughter.

 

“First off! The stage is kindly finally starting to move towards the bloody violence I love so much, so you know what~? You know what that means~?”

 

The pair stood in stunned confusion at his cryptic words.

 

“It means you get the hell out of my way and don’t disturb my enjoyment of the view!” He snarled, disintegrating back into a flock of bats, which promptly swarmed over the pair. 

 

Despite his best efforts, Hanabusa couldn’t shield Yuuki this time from the sheer volume of bats, but they didn’t seem to be attacking, only attempting to shoo the two away. Hanabusa was only too happy to oblige, but Yuuki’s grip on his arm stopped him from leaving. 

 

“Could you please consider continuing this elsewhere?!” She cried out in frustration. “I don’t want you to disturb the peace of this place, just over there there’s many people resting in peace!” 

  
Hanabusa felt a change in the atmosphere and swallowed.

 

A detached voice from somewhere they could not see laughed maniacally.

 

Before either could do anything, two bats cut straight through Yuuki’s side, their razor sharp wings instantly slicing through her and causing her blood to splatter onto the pavement. Her hand instinctively clutched Hanabusa’s shoulder in an attempt to steady herself, but she soon found herself falling down. 

 

“Hey!”

 

Hanabusa swooped down and steadied Yuuki onto her knees.

 

With one hand on her side and the other on her throat, Yuuki was bleeding and panting, her face twisted in anguish. 

 

“Sorry…I’m okay…”

 

He shook his head incredulously, _this girl!_

 

“There is no way you’re okay!” 

 

Her heart hammered in her chest as she fought to control her breathing. She could feel the blood oozing out, the wound too deep to heal quickly. 

 

The sound of creaking gates alerted both vampires to a new presence. Stood before them, his face a picture of confusion and shock, was Zero. 

 

* * *

 

Deep underground in the manor, Kaname sat alone atop an empty coffin. The door was left ajar, as he knew Yuuki wouldn’t be home for a while. It was just him and his thoughts at that moment keeping him company. 

 

No, it wasn’t just his thoughts at all. 

 

He knew he was there, a phantom that attached itself to his mind like a cancerous tumour. A manifestation of what they called a terrible seed of desire, in the form of the greatest example of one known in all of history.

 

Rido Kuran.

 

He felt his slippery, cold hand come to rest around his face as he leaned close to his ear, his breath heavy with the scent of mulled wine.

 

_“Are you miserably empty once more? Despite how deeply your attachment to that girl might be, in the end you simply let her leave. You did not get to lock her away, nor did you get to put a leash on her, you allowed her to disobey you and walk out just like that…”_

 

“She will come home again. You talk too much.” 

 

His guttural laugh rang through Kaname’s ears, he couldn’t stand it.

 

_“She’s starting to catch on, so until when do you plan to continue this facade of “Sweet Oniisama” for her? What reason would you have to hesitate for? Or have you forgotten your true nature?”_

 

He resisted the urge to scowl. 

 

“I haven’t forgotten anything. You really should have just left me the way I was back then, quietly asleep inside this coffin. If you had left me that way, then perhaps you might not have been reduced to what you are now, those unsightly mere remains…only here still here by the force of your own attachment.” 

 

That day was still clear in his mind, it was the day he was, in a sense, reborn after all. The image of Rido triumphantly holding up the corpse of an innocent infant, its blood dripping down onto the decayed body inside the now-opened coffin. 

 

“That night, if only you hadn’t taken that couple’s baby, whom they also named “Kaname” like me…if only you hadn’t sacrificed that baby…” He trailed off, unsure of where his train of thought was going. It was times like these when he truly felt he was losing to despair. 

 

Another laugh. It pissed him off.

 

_“Well, what were you waiting for as you laid inside this cold coffin?”_

 

He clutched his head in his hand, willing for the phantom to go away.

 

“I’m not waiting for anything.” 

 

_“But you were waiting for something, weren’t you? There are contradictions within you, great contradictions, and those contradictions are torturing you. This is why you came to this room.”_

 

Though he didn’t look, he could feel Rido’s sickly smirk burning into his skin.

 

_“You want to watch protectively over your beloved little bird as she spreads her wings and learns to fly…but you also want to tear off the wings from that same beloved little bird…I wonder where the contradictions in you come from.”_

 

He’d had enough. Kaname stood up and began to walk away from the coffin, _his_ coffin, but nothing could stop Rido.

 

_“What you were eagerly waiting for as you laid in this coffin will never return, right? The truth is you don’t even have the faintest bit of hope left, isn’t it?”_

 

_Hope._

 

That’s what Yuuki was, the only hope he had left of pulling himself out of the abyss. But he knew that his idea of Heaven was, in reality, her Hell. That one part of her heart was sunlight, laughter and flowers, while the part of her heart that was his was chains, solitude and fear. 

 

_“Contradictions”_

 

Yes, contradictions. He wanted to see her grow, to see her in the sunlight, smiling from the bottom of her heart - but he desired to keep her caged, only for him to gaze upon for the rest of eternity. 

 

_“As well as despair.”_

 

The feeling of despair was not new to him, and through Yuuki he began to escape from it in the only ways he could. He tried to envision Yuuki, but it wasn’t really her at all. She was wearing a familiar white cloak that held the distinct scent of lilies, her face solemn beneath the hood. 

 

That cloak and the woman who once wore it brought him the greatest despair of all, and he knew that the contradictions reared their ugly head from that despair that he’d tried to sleep away for all of those years, clinging ravenously to any hope he could find in the sheer emotional turmoil he’d felt.

 

Once again, Kaname found himself cradling his head in his hand, willing for it all to go away. _It was a mistake to come here, so why does he always find himself coming back?_

 

The same slippery hands found themselves slowly snaking around Kaname’s face, but he didn’t notice. All he saw was a figure in a desolate landscape, waiting for something. He couldn’t feel his nails as they clawed desperately through the flesh of his face, drawing trickles of blood.

 

_“Those are the two things you’re made of…and you will be eternally that way.”_ The voice leered with a smirk. 

 

Frustrated, Kaname dragged his hands down the side of the coffin with such force that the phantom vanished amidst the noise. 

 

He inspected his hand, which was covered in his blood. 

 

“You are truly a good “mirror”.”He murmured to himself, sighing gently. 

 

A thumping in his ears caught him off guard. He quickly realised with dread that something was wrong. Yuuki still wasn’t home, only elevating his worries. He had to act fast.


	7. A Scent That Recalls Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first time in a year, Yuuki comes face to face with Zero. Despite her best efforts, Yuuki's injuries prove to be too much for her and she collapses. Hanabusa is forced along as Zero carries an unconscious and seriously injured Yuuki to safety. The close proximity of the two after so long stirs Yuuki's heart and her deep thirst, but will she act on that nostalgia?
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 60.

 

Just as she thought she’d caught her breath, Yuuki began coughing profusely. 

 

“Hey…” Hanabusa reached forward, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

 

“I..I’m fine…I just choked on my own blood, that’s all.”

 

She cleared her throat the best she could, but still found herself panting slightly.

 

“But really, it’s not something someone can ever get used to, the sensation of flesh closing back over the wound.” 

 

Hanabusa felt his heart sink in his chest at the sight of the teen.

 

“This is my fault.” 

 

Yuuki snapped her gaze up to meet Hanabusa’s.

 

“Why? That’s not the case at all!”

 

He shook his head.

 

“No, it is…”

 

She heard the flapping of a coat and lifted her head. _He_ was stood there, watching silently.

 

She huffed out a breath and started to struggle to her feet. Flustered, Hanabusa tried to aid her.

 

“Oi! You shouldn’t be moving around!” 

 

Once the pair were steady on their feet, they turned to face Zero properly. The silence was deafening.

 

“Umm…Good afternoon!” Yuuki greeted cheerfully, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly.

 

Hanabusa glanced between the two of them, _good afternoon?_

 

Zero didn’t respond, but Hanabusa quickly noticed him drawing the Bloody Rose. Quickly, Hanabusa shielded Yuuki once again, gripping her arms to keep her steady.

 

“Hey, wait a minute! Kiryuu, why are you suddenly-”

 

“Aww, he noticed me~!” 

 

The blonde whipped his head around to see part of Shizuku appear from the pavement.

 

“Aww bummer, I just wanted to sharpen my blades on her a little more. No need to look so scary. Well, too bad~!”

 

Zero raised his gun and took on a menacing tone.

 

“Disappear. I don’t care that this is an alter-version of you, I’ll still beat it to a pulp until it doesn’t work any more!” 

 

The childish Pureblood pouted.

 

“Okay~ Bye bye~!” 

 

The last part of him they saw was his hand, waving them goodbye. The flock of bats took off into the sky, leaving them be. 

 

“Kaname-sama will definitely strike him back for this.” Hanabusa said angrily, more to himself than to anyone else. 

 

No response came, and suddenly Yuuki slumped in his arms. Flustered, Hanabusa tried to keep hold of her.

 

“Hey! Hang in there!”

 

Her eyes were closed and her breathing shallow, she wasn’t responding at all.

 

“Hey! Yuuki Cross!”

 

An arm reached down and wrapped around Yuuki’s petite body, swooping her up out of Hanabusa’s hold in one swift motion and over his own shoulder. Caught off guard, Hanabusa watched as Zero began to walk away with the Princess.

 

“Huh?”

 

Exasperated, Zero glanced over his shoulder.

 

“Come on, I know a place nearby where we can lay her down so she can rest for now.”  


 

“Ah, yes, okay.” 

 

Quickly, he tried to catch up to Zero’s pace. He stepped through the pools of blood as though it didn’t bother him at all, which unnerved Hanabusa somewhat.

 

“This blood, send someone to clean it up later.” His tone was levelled, firm.

 

“I will.” He nodded, although Zero couldn’t see him. 

 

Yuuki’s head was fuzzy, but one thing was clear, a distinct smell of lavender that had evaded her for so long. 

 

_Ah…What is this…This scent drifting through the air…an intensely nostalgic scent…_

 

Elsewhere, another part of her mind admonished her.

 

_I’m truly an idiot. I can’t believe all I could say was “Good Afternoon” - seriously…_

 

Hanabusa followed obediently, but felt uncertain all the same. Zero turned the corner in an alley way and walked through a arched doorway into a building. There, he began conversing with a cloaked man that was wearing an eyepatch.

 

“Thanks for the hard work, but…um…you are?”

 

One quick glance at the Bloody Rose was all it took for recognition to light up the peculiar man’s features.

 

“Oh! It’s you, Kiryuu-sama! Please come this way!”

 

Tentatively, Hanabusa stepped onto the archway. He heard a strange noise, and glanced around suspiciously. _What is this place?_

 

All of a sudden, a large gate slammed down from the top of the arch, scaring the wits out of Hanabusa, who barely contained a rather girlish scream.

 

“Wh-What the hell is this?!” 

 

Zero didn’t look in the slightest bit moved by the incident, instead seeming more concerned about the gate itself.

 

“The reaction of the gate is slow.” He commented. 

 

The man nodded in embarrassment. 

 

“Yes sir, I’ll have it adjusted.” 

 

Slowly, the gate retracted, but by now Hanabusa was almost as stiff as a statue.

 

“Sorry, Aidou-senpai. This place is one of the safehouses belonging to the Hunter Association. It’s set up so that vampires cannot come in unless they have been tamed already…or unless they’re carried in someone’s arms.” 

 

Hanabusa’s face fell. 

 

Much to his humiliation, he found himself being carried in Zero’s free arm, and he sobbed profusely.

 

“Couldn’t you have told me that sooner?!” He wailed, but Zero didn’t entertain his tears. 

 

Once it was safe, he set the blonde down and allowed him to regain his composure, although he was still in a deep sulk.

 

“This way sir, there’s no one else here, so all of the rooms are free for now.” 

 

“Aidou-senpai?” 

 

Still reeling from shock, Hanabusa managed a grimace at the silver haired teen.

 

“I’ll be on watch duty, just outside the door. I’m busy trying to figure out what we should do for her.” 

 

Zero regarded Hanabusa silently, and then turned his head away.

 

“Blood tablets. Just give her a bunch of them when she regains consciousness and that’s it.” 

 

Hanabusa couldn’t help but spare a frown at Zero. _If only he knew the struggle Yuuki had been through, his blood may be the answer and yet he still acts in such a way, that guy is just as stubborn as her!_

 

The creaking of boards began to rouse Yuuki once more. She could hear a steady thump of a heart beat, the pulse beating through their blood vessels. She slowly began to open and close her eyes. 

 

_Ah…The nostalgic scent…_

 

Despite how weak her body felt, Yuuki pushed herself upright and settled down again in the firm grip she was held in, one of her hands tangled in familiar silver hair as the other steadied itself on his shoulder. 

 

_It’s…so close…_

 

She leaned in, her eyes closed, savouring the sensation of the scent that brought waves of nostalgia washing over her, enveloping her senses in something raw and pure. Her lips curled into a smile as she curved her head, brushing back hair to expose a slender neck. Slowly, she dragged her tongue up against his pulse, a soft and needy sigh escaping her before she could stop it. 

 

Zero’s eyes flickered to the bat that hung from branches of a bare tree outside. He kept his grip firm and his breathing even, listening as her mouth opened, ready to pierce his flesh…only to stop suddenly. 

 

Slowly, she leaned back. Their eyes met in a steady, deep gaze. The swirling crimson of bloodlust settled down from hers in a matter of moments as she realised what she had done. Suddenly, Yuuki pushed herself back to get a good look at the person she was about to bite. _It really was him._ She clasped a hand over her mouth, the snow that had begun to melt over her heart quickly frosting itself back over once more. 

 

“Have you changed your mind? You lost a lot of blood, you know.” 

 

“Put me on the ground.” She practically whispered. 

 

“If you can stand by yourself.”

 

“I can, thank you.”

 

Gently, Zero set Yuuki down, allowing her to regain her composure.  


 

Quickly, she stumbled backwards. Her blood was stained on Zero’s coat, but yet he looked indifferent. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Her heart thumped so loudly in her ears that she could hardly hear the cracking of the window behind her.

 

Zero bowed his head slightly, but then looked back up and took a step forward.

 

“No…”

 

Before he could do anything else, the window shattered completely, startling Yuuki. 

 

Hanabusa rushed to the door, panic stricken.

 

“What happened?!” 

 

For the first time, Yuuki glanced around at her surroundings. She had been brought somewhere, undoubtedly some sort of safehouse, but one thing was clear. Kaname had come to get her.

 

“I’m very sorry.” Her voice was quiet, she didn’t look at either of the young men.

 

Without warning, her solemn expression turned to a bright beaming smile. 

 

“I’m really sorry for always being such a scatter brain.” 

 

And with that, she lunged out of the window, sending Hanabusa into a frenzied panic.

 

Zero didn’t give chase. Silently, he reached up and grasped the shoulder she had held onto, still slightly damp with her blood.

 

Her head was spinning and she lost all sense of direction, but still her legs carried on running. Hanabusa was not far behind, calling out to her, but she couldn’t hear him. At the top of one flight of steps, she came face to face with what appeared to be a black wolf. 

 

Panting, she stopped to catch her breath, her legs trembling beneath her.

 

“Please, Oniisama, I want to go home. It’s okay if I’ll be punished, so please.” 

 

Sure enough, the wolf dissolved into a flock of bats which swarmed around Yuuki and took her far away. She had never felt more defeated. 

 

Hanabusa finally caught up, but he was already too late. He witnessed the last bat disappear and his shoulders slumped in defeat. 


	8. Beyond The Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname delivers punishments to both Touma and Yuuki. Hurt and powerless, Yuuki begins to realise that Kaname is not who she thought he was at all, and wishes he would be the way he once was again. However, a startling revelation forces her into a reality where Kaname will never be the person she thought he was ever again, even if it was not for the reason she expected. Meanwhile, after a brief meeting with Zero, Yori comes face to face with a mysterious figure who makes an offer unlike any other.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 53 & 61.

 

Another strike. Blood spluttered out of his mouth as he fell to his knees, winded. 

 

The figure in front of Shizuku wasn’t there in the flesh, instead he was a composition of shadows and bats.

 

“An actual direct attack to our ‘castle’ is the same as a declaration of war.” He panted, blood dripping from his lips as he grinned sinisterly up at his attacker. 

 

His dearest companion wrapped her arms around his shoulders, a look of concern on her face. He paid her no mind. 

 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know such an important thing? Young Mister “ _Leader of Our People_ ”?” 

 

Kaname kicked the hat, which had toppled from Shizuku's head upon impact from the attack, out of his way as he walked. He tilted the boy’s chin up, forcing him to look into his eyes. 

 

“What?” Shizuku was growing impatient at his silence.

 

Finally, he spoke.

 

“She is used to everything being so easy, so she needed a taste of bitter medicine. That’s why I won’t do more to you than this one last hit.”

 

* * *

 

The real Kaname was at the manor, dealing out his punishment. 

 

Yuuki lay on the bed, hair sprawled around the pillows, blood seeping from her neck. She was panting heavily, having not completely healed from her previous wounds when she took off running, and the world was spinning before her eyes. 

 

A cool, marbled hand touched her feverish cheek. She didn’t meet his gaze. 

 

“You didn’t drink his blood.” He commented, leaning back in towards her.

 

“On that single thing, you did great.” 

 

His fangs pierced her sore flesh and he drank, digging in deeper until it hurt. 

 

“Ah!” She gasped, feeling her hand twitch against the metal of her bracelet. 

 

_She wondered what he could taste in her blood at that moment._

 

Suddenly, he pulled back, hastily wiping her blood from his lips. Her neck throbbed, beads of sweat collecting on her brow. 

 

When he looked at her, she was glaring at him. A glare of anger, hurt, _defiance_. 

 

He hated it when she was defiant.

 

“The feeling of powerlessness makes one feel mortifyingly angry at themselves doesn’t it?” 

 

She scowled.

 

“I am not angry at myself.” 

 

His eyes darkened.

 

“For the stunt you pulled today, you should be.” 

 

She wanted to get up, to get away from him.

 

He reached down again, this time to wipe the sweat from her brow. 

 

“You’re struggling, even now.”

 

“What do you want from me?” She sounded so tired.

 

“Only for you to be yourself.” And so did he.

 

He lifted her arm with his other hand, his fangs glinting in the low light. 

 

“But your actions have consequences, Yuuki.”

 

He bit down, his mouth a clamp on her wrist. She squeaked in pain as he drained more blood from her aching, injured form. He didn’t look like Kaname any more, not to her.

 

There was once a time, years ago, when he would speak her name in a gentle, kind voice and kneel to her height. He would kiss her hand and regard her as a person even though she was just a small child compared to him.

 

The Kaname that drank from her pale wrist, blood trickling down and dripping onto the bed, did not even look at her as she lay panting and weak. The fangs that once pierced the skin like a kiss capturing lips were sharper, hungrier. He wasn’t angry, it was something else now, something she couldn’t understand.

 

“Why are you speaking in such a way?” Her voice was a pathetic whine drowned in rasps. 

 

She felt crimson eyes flicker to her face.

 

“It may have taken me 10 years to do it, but I came back Oniisama. Is it not good enough, Oniisama?”

 

She repeated it like a mantra, _Oniisama_. _Brother_. 

 

The brother who had watched over her for a decade, a decade spent lonely and in need. She’d come back to him, hadn’t she? She’d spent a year in isolation for him, hadn’t she? Why was it not good enough? How should she be herself, when herself isn’t doing what he wants? 

 

Tears filled her eyes. 

 

_Please stay the way you were, Oniisama._

 

It felt like that day in the Academy, something had changed. When he crushed her in his embrace and threatened to spirit her away in such a cold, whispered tone, something had turned inside his heart. Perhaps it was there all along, but she couldn’t accept that. She just couldn’t.

 

He didn’t say anything, instead tilting her wrist and biting deeper. _It wasn’t a punishment any longer, he was desperately thirsty, but why?_

 

“It’s because I really am no good, isn’t it?” 

 

A whole year and in that time she didn’t live up to what he wanted, so he kept his darkest secrets, his deepest desires, from her. It hurt that she’d let him down in such a way. 

 

Her heart was thumping erratically, trying to keep her body vitalised as blood poured from her wrist, ran down her neck and began to seep through her side once more. Finally, Kaname stopped taking blood, but did not lick the wound clean.

 

“I’m so desperately afraid that you’ll throw yourself into a lost cause and sacrifice yourself in the attempt.” 

 

His words were cryptic, and although they were seemingly for her, his expression betrayed his own inner conflict. 

 

“I don’t want to live that a second time.” 

 

He almost whispered it, the pain in his voice so raw, so truthful. It caught her off guard completely.

 

“You think that what Otou-sama and Okaa-sama gave their life for was for nothing?” A few tears spilled from her eyes.

 

“No, Yuuki.”

 

He met her gaze.

 

“You asked me what I meant when I said all those years ago that I’d been lonely.”

 

She hesitated, then nodded slowly.

 

“I’m not actually your brother.” 

 

* * *

 

He couldn’t go home, not tonight. His head was spinning so fast it made him nauseous, and his heart and mind were dizzy with thoughts and emotions that he had so carefully collected for so long now. 

 

So he wound up there, curled up beside White Lily, trying to ground himself in one of the few places he found solitude. The hay felt stiff against his fingers, the cool night air a stark contrast to the burning fever inside of his body. He could feel White Lily’s body stiffen against him, _someone was coming._

 

Zero tried to move, but he couldn’t. Caught somewhere between reality and a nightmare, he trembled and panted. It was starting to stir the horses from their slumber. His fingers curled around the hay, praying whoever was coming wouldn’t notice him, despite the whines of nearby horses. 

 

“Zero-kun?”

 

His eyes flashed open and his blood ran cold. It was night time, why was she not in bed? 

 

Finally, his body allowed him to move. Zero sat up to look at Yori, who seemed to be quite concerned. She was still in her uniform, a small notepad in her hands.

 

“Wakaba.” He managed, trying to gather himself.

 

“No one has seen you in class for days, but then I heard whispers that you were back.”

 

“You shouldn’t be out of your dorm.” 

 

“You’ve missed a lot of work. I simply came to give you your notes. Yuu- I…I was told that you often came here.”

 

The silver haired boy staggered to his feet, giving White Lily a gentle pat before ducking under and out of her pen.

 

With a mumbled ‘thanks’, Zero took the little notepad from Yori. 

 

“The other horses are scared of you, try to tone down that glare of yours at least a little bit.” 

 

He ignored her remark.

 

“I’ll walk you back to your dorm.”

 

“There’s no need, I know the way. Thank you.”

 

Before he could react, she briskly walked away. 

 

* * *

 

On her way back to the dorm, she saw a figure emerging from a nearby building. She recognised him, while Zero had been away a new teacher had come to the school. He seemed to notice her, as he turned to walk in her direction.

 

“Takamiya-sensei.” 

 

He was a tall, athletic man in a smart suit. A mess of brown hair contrasted with his otherwise clean cut appearance. He smelled of cologne and made the Day Class girls swoon. Well, most of them.

 

“Your name was Sayori Wakaba, wasn’t it? You’re out quite late.” 

 

“I was just heading back to my room.” 

 

There was something else about this man that she knew. He was a Hunter, just like Zero. 

 

“I should let you get by. I wonder if you have seen Zero?” 

 

He addressed him in such an informal tone, yet he was someone Yori would not have known to associate with Zero outside of a job.

 

“He was just in the stables.” 

 

“Thank you.” 

 

“Wait, just a second.” 

 

His eyes suddenly gleamed with curiosity.

 

“The Chair- Association President and Zero-kun both look on edge. Did something happen? Or perhaps, is something going to happen soon?” 

 

“…You know, you may be one of the few who have kept their memories, but that does not give me an obligation to answer that.” 

 

Dejected, Yori bowed her head.

 

“It’s fine if it has nothing to do with my best friend, but if it does then I…I must…” She trailed off. 

 

The hunter cocked his head to the side.

 

“Your best friend, is she a vampire?”

 

Yori swallowed. It was late, but she still found herself glancing around.

 

“Well. It’s the first time I’ve seen a close friendship between a human and a vampire that hasn’t ended with the human being torn to shreds.” 

 

The image conjured in her mind didn’t unsettle Yori, if anything it only annoyed her. _Yuuki was not like that._

 

“Is it wrong to be friends with them?” 

 

He paused, considering something.

 

“There’s a banquet in a few days. I could take you with me, in secret, if you only promise you’ll stay where I can see you.” 

 

His eyes pierced into her.

 

“But, it’ll be a banquet full of vampires.”


	9. Distant Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki is brought to the mysterious room, where she uncovers the truth about its importance to Kaname. Then, finally, Yuuki loses herself in Kaname's memories and begins to piece together the truth about his past, including the devastating truth about her real brother. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 61 & 62.

 

She felt so light in his arms as he carried her, almost as though she had no weight at all. All that she could hear was the hum of white noise, her vision blurred with weakness.

 

“You know,” She whispered, “I feel like, since we’ve grown up, you’ve hidden some part of yourself from me, Oniisama…”

 

She could feel the slight jutter as he carried her down the steps. 

 

“The world you see is different from the world that I see.” 

 

Her eyes fluttered close, cold tears still remaining on her lashes. He nuzzled her head, comforting her. 

 

They were going into the room he’d forbade her from entering. 

 

The doors slowly swung open, revealing an elaborate and ornate crypt. 

 

Carefully, he laid her on one particular coffin. She was just about strong enough to move her head in an attempt to take in her surroundings.

 

“This place…it has your scent, Oniisama…why?” 

 

Kaname, too, was distracted by the sights within the room, as though he was noticing them all for the first time.

 

“I spent forever in slumber in this mausoleum.” 

 

His hand tentatively touched the coffin.

 

“This coffin is where I slept for all that time. In that long flow of time, I wished to finally be reduced to dust. That wish did not come true.”

 

The man in front of her eyes looked worn with age for the first time, defeated and sullen as he spoke. 

 

“I had thought that my long journey had finally come to an end, but…”

 

With a trembling hand, Yuuki reached over and grasped the sleeve of Kaname’s shirt, granting her his full attention. 

 

“The look on your face tells me that you don’t quite understand.” He didn’t sound annoyed, in fact he didn’t have any particular tone in his voice.

 

Slowly, he helped to lift Yuuki up, and leaned down to grant her access to his neck. 

 

Despite his even tone, she could hear his pulse racing. He was _afraid_. Why?

 

“Do you want blood, Yuuki?”

 

The question seemed redundant in her condition, and he knew it, but still he asked. She nodded, moving her hands upwards towards his shoulders, steadying herself.

 

“You’ve seen bits of it before, my memories, even though you didn’t yet know what was going on.” 

 

Recollections of a terrifying face and a man weeping into the shards of a broken mirror flashed across her memory.

 

She sunk her fangs into his neck and began to drink.

 

_In that long flow of time, I wished to finally be reduced to dust. That wish did not come true._

 

It was such a horribly sorrowful thing to say, to _feel_. 

 

_For all of this time, how could I not have known that Oniisama wasn’t Oniisama?_

 

Images began to materialise, swirling around and creating a fog in her mind.

 

_And why would he keep it hidden?_

 

A cruelly smiling face with mismatched eyes, a silly human girl pleading for the truth, and the bloodied hand of an infant.

 

_I truly don’t understand anything about this man. I truly have not progressed from those times._

 

The thoughts she held were bitter, and she chose to push them aside, indulging instead in the memories he laid bare within his blood.

 

_“It’s such irony that the baby is named “Kaname", like you. That’s what got me started thinking like this.”_

 

_The voice was familiar, and the face even more so._

 

_Rido brought the dying infant close to him, blood dripping from its body._

 

_He was talking to the coffin. Kaname’s coffin._

 

_“Rather than devour the baby in a haste and that’s it, I thought it would be far better to do this, using it to bring you back to life so that I could devour you instead and earn even more power. What do you think, Ancestor of the Kuran Clan?”_

 

_There was a sickening sound like a claw tearing into soft flesh, tearing muscle from bone. Blood spluttered and sprayed, flowing thick and fast from the swaddling cloth the infant was wrapped in._

 

_“Here. Take it. Not just the blood, have it’s soft flesh too. Kuran blood, the thickest of all that exist.”_

 

_Suddenly, an almost skeletal hand lunged out of the coffin and seized Rido by the throat. A figure rose up from the coffin, soaked in the blood and tissue of the infant child, his hair so long and unruly that it obscured his equally near skeletal face._

 

_Both men could hear the Ancestor’s heart singing the hymn of life, it rang through their ears and echoed around them. As flesh began to heal and spread over him where he was otherwise decaying, his strength allowed him to tighten the grip on Rido’s neck with such force that his veins protruded all over his skin. It made the man laugh, sickeningly._

 

_“Don’t go forgetting who it was that opened the coffin and brought your filthy carcass back to life. It was me! I’m your owner now, so be an obedient boy while I devour your life-”_

 

_The Ancestor cut him off, attacking him with a violent force that knocked the pair off their feet. Hungrily, desperately, he gulped Rido’s blood. More and more and more, until Rido was an emaciated heap on the floor, no longer taunting him with cruel remarks. Kaname got to his feet, gasping for air in his well-aged lungs._

 

_He was looking for someone who was no longer there, even now._

 

* * *

 

 

Not long before his new life began, another was coming to an end without anyone knowing. Anyone, that is, except for Rido Kuran.

 

Rido watched on as his beloved sister cradled the infant boy in her arms, swaddled so that his face was almost hidden. Haruka leaned over the pair, as though he were guarding his wife and child, one hand reached down to stroke his son’s cheek. 

 

“There, there. Good boy, Kaname. Oh, he’s such a good boy, isn't he? Ah! No way! He just made a weird face, what a waste of his good looks!” 

 

Rido’s face didn’t betray how he felt as he observed the scene, knowing full well it was his god given right to be there in Haruka’s place. Juri should love him, but yet she had their brother’s child. It was truly dire. 

 

“Maybe it’s a good thing after all to give birth to a new life, with all the hidden promises and the unknown factor that comes with it.” 

 

Juri turned her attention to her eldest brother and smiled in such a way that it set his heart on edge.

 

“Would you like to hold him in your arms, “Uncle Rido”?” She asked teasingly, gesturing to the swaddled form in her arms.

 

Rido carefully took the baby from her and gazed down at his face. He softened only for a moment at the sight of the infant, who looked so strikingly like his beloved Juri. But when the baby gurgled and pulled a face, he once again looked like Haruka. He couldn’t stand it. 

 

A sudden pooling warmth around his hand made him realise something was amiss. The baby was dripping wet with urine. His face couldn’t hide the sour feeling of disgust. 

 

Juri’s face was flush with total embarrassment.

 

“I’m so sorry! I thought he would still be fine, but-”

 

Rido chuckled.

 

“It’s because you are bad at changing diapers. I’m very good at it because of my experiences with the both of you.”

 

He turned to the door.

 

“I’ll get you all cleaned up, Kaname, seeing as I’ll now need to change my shirt after you got it all wet.” 

 

Haruka made a move towards Rido, but he was already a few steps ahead. 

 

“Brother!” 

 

When Haruka got to the door, Rido was already gone. 

 

* * *

 

_“Brother! Kaname!”_

 

_Although the throbbing of his weary heart pounded in his ears, Kaname could hear a distant voice growing nearer. He turned his head and noticed a sword on the floor._

 

_It was a weapon he hadn’t seen for so long, a reminder of her._

 

_The sword, though, was tainted with the blood of an innocent infant._

 

_Despite his condition, Rido wheezed out a laugh._

 

_“It would have been better to obediently allow me to devour you! The baby’s life and my blood are nowhere near enough to restore your body to life fully.”_

 

_Sure enough, when Kaname stared down at his hand, it was still decomposed bone and tissue._

 

_“What are you going to do?” Rido asked tauntingly._

 

_“There are more members of your kin just over there, will you take their lives as sacrifices? The hunger that accumulated for thousands and thousands of years is about to slam into you soon. I can’t even wrap my head around how harsh that must be.”_

 

_His rasped laughter set Kaname’s whole being on edge. Noticing the cloth left bloodstained and hanging from the coffin, he did the only thing he could do in that situation._

 

_“Brother?”_

 

_When Haruka came in, the scene was too bloody to comprehend, the smell too strong to withstand. Rido’s body on the floor, the open coffin and the bloodied cloth told him what he already knew. He willed himself not to cry, wondering desperately what to tell his wife._

 

_Then there was a cry._

 

_A small, timid cry._

 

_In a pile of clothes that were torn and gathering dust, also smeared with blood, was a baby. He knew instantly by the smell, by the hair, by the face - it wasn’t his son._

 

_Despite this, Haruka brought the infant close and cradled him in his arms. He carried the child back to his wife, knowing the news he’d have to break would be unbearably heavy._

 

_Rido was right, the Ancestor could not sustain his own life force without hurting anyone else, and even then he was on borrowed time as bloodlust swarmed through his body and devoured his mind. Therefore, the only option was to regress into a baby, laying his memories to rest to keep them out of the way._

 

_Kaname grew up in the body of a child, raised by Haruka and Juri as their own. Then…_

 

Yuuki heard it, the sound of another baby gurgling and laughing. Her grip on Kaname’s shirt tightened.

 

_For the first time, Juri introduced Kaname to Yuuki. The little infant laughed and smiled. When Kaname approached, she took his finger into her tiny fist and stared up at him inquisitively._

 

_The same hand would still remain small as it clung to his, her inquisitive stare as an infant morphing to the joyful gaze as a small child._

 

Overcome, Yuuki pulled away. Kaname laid back on the coffin as she regarded him with fresh eyes. 

 

Then she began to cry.

 

She cried for the pain her brother must have felt as he was murdered. She cried for the anguish her parents must have felt afterwards. She cried for the guilt likely buried in Kaname’s heart.

 

He leaned up to brush her tears away, but she did it herself before he had the chance.

 

“May I ask who you were?” She sniffled through tears.

 

He didn’t respond, so she pressed it further.

 

“You didn’t tell me anything about this before, so why now?” 

 

_I just want to know you better. I have so many questions. I need to know!_

 

“Why were you sleeping in here?”

 

More hot tears rolled down her cheeks, despite her best efforts to wipe them away.

 

“Yuuki, if this is too much for you-”

 

“Please.”

 

He sighed.

 

“Ask my blood.”

 

Her tear filled eyes flickered to his neck. She’d had quite a bit by now, and her wounds were healing. Despite this, Yuuki lunged forward towards her target. Her fangs sunk into his neck, and she sunk into his memories.


	10. The Hunter and The Ancestor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While reflecting on a conversation with Hanabusa, Zero is confronted by a familiar face from his past. Meanwhile, Yuuki finds herself sinking further into Kaname's memories, caught amongst fragments in such a way that she slowly becomes more than just a spectator. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 62.

 

Tucking the notepad in his pocket, Zero leaned against the stable door and stared up at the moon. He didn’t know whether to go back home, if he could even call it that, or to his dorm. The whole Academy was tainted for him, it felt even more of a necessary burden than ever before. 

 

_“I’m sorry for always being such a scatter brain.”_

 

A simple, stupid line, that could have fooled him in that moment into believing she was still alive, that somewhere beneath pale skin, sharp fangs and cursed blood, _she_ was still there.

 

It pissed him off.

 

_“Hey, Kiryuu.”_

 

_Zero, who was discarding his coat, regarded Hanabusa with a cold glare._

 

_“You should run home.” He said gruffly, folding his coat neatly to carry in his arm._

 

_“Will you be there, at the banquet?”_

 

_His heart thrummed with suspicion._

 

_“I will be on duty.” He confirmed._

 

_Sparing a quick glance around, Hanabusa’s expression turned serious._

 

_“I need to meet you in private at that party.”_

 

_Zero resisted the urge to scoff, what was he planning?_

 

_“I’m serious, please. It’s for Yuuki Cro-…Yuuki-sama’s sake.”_

 

_Though he didn’t say anything, a short nod gave Hanabusa some relief. The two parted ways, then, with thoughts reeling in Zero’s mind._

 

“Long time no see.” 

 

The voice startled Zero and, by instinct, his gun was quickly pointed at the source of the voice.

 

“Kaito?” 

 

Kaito Takamiya, grown significantly taller and older from the last time Zero had encountered him, casually pushed the gun out of the way. 

 

“Even as I was walking up to you, I could feel the thirst for killing oozing from you.” 

 

He couldn’t resist a scowl.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“Did no one tell you? I’m working here as a teacher in training. Of course, I don’t need the training, but Yagari needed the extra helping hands around the Association.”

 

Zero relaxed slightly, though still he felt conflicted.

 

“Don’t look so fierce, Zero. We trained together once, remember? I’m just doing my job, same as you.”

 

“Then why do I feel as though something is wrong?”

 

He shifted slightly, shoving his hands back into his pockets. 

 

“There isn’t anything wrong at the moment.”

 

“But there will be?”

 

“I don’t expect vampires to be totally obedient to those in control, no matter who it is. Given who it is, though, it brings forward a lot of uncertainty on both sides. I’m an extra hand to keep things in order, but I trust you are doing your part?”  


“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

 

“Word travels fast. I know that you rescued that Kuran girl and let her and her servant go.” 

 

_Servant, Hanabusa would die of shame._

 

“I haven’t strayed from my goals. You should keep the focus on yours.” 

 

Kaito let a small, sly smirk grace his features.

 

“Such a cold attitude. You really have changed a lot, Zero.”

 

A ghost of a similar smirk touched his own lips as he looked back up at the moon.

 

“Yeah, I guess I have.”

 

* * *

 

_A sight she could recognise all too easily. Snowy mountains and distant trees, the night sky dark and cloudy. A little girl slept in the arms of an older boy, who was carrying her with relative ease despite the blizzard._

 

_“Wait here for a little bit, I have to take out the enemies pursuing us.”_

 

_She didn’t respond._

 

_“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon to take you to a place where you’ll be warm again.”_

 

_He carefully set her down on a bed of snow._

 

_“The next time you open your eyes, you’ll look at me with the eyes of someone seeing a stranger, won't you Yuuki?”_

 

The eyes that did open were hers, but she wasn’t a child. 

 

The teenage Yuuki sat up and realised quickly that not only was her hair short, but she was wearing the uniform of the Day Class.

 

_“Are you lost little girl?”_

 

This moment that had haunted her for so many years was replaying right in front of her eyes. But, Kaname wasn’t there, so how could it be?

 

_“May I drink your blood?”_

 

Somehow, she found herself slashing the illusion away with Artemis, which was taking the form of a scythe despite her appearance being that of her former human days. 

 

It didn’t add up. _Is it my memory?_

 

_“Drinking someone’s blood is like taking in the person as well. At times, that means, you’ll also take in fragments of their memories.”_

 

She whirled around. 

 

“Shizuka-san?”

 

_The strong scent of wine overpowered her as arms wrapped around her._

 

_“Juri…”_

 

It wasn’t just Shizuka. It was Rido, too. 

 

_No_. 

 

All around her, there were dozens upon dozens of figures all surrounding her with the same vacant expression. 

 

She went to fight Rido off, but he disappeared. 

 

Suddenly, grotesquely curved arms shot up from the ground, hands clawing at her legs and grabbing her feet.

 

_“Give us your blood!”_

 

She felt herself falling and let out a scream.

 

Down, down, down. There were no longer hands, she was just falling into darkness that never seemed to end. 

 

_“I forgot my own name, because it’s been such a long time since anyone has called me.”_

 

_“In that case, I’ll have your name be…“Kaname”, spoken and spelled like the name of my home town.”_

 

People were talking, but she only recognised one voice. The other was the voice of a woman. 

 

The abyss seemed to shatter and cascaded around her in shards of glass, each containing a memory she had yet to explore. 

 

_Their ship, broken and battered, was left scattered along the shoreline. Over time, it became the foundation for a home to the few men and women thought to be left of their kind. The kind that never died._

 

_Their existence, it had been said, was the result of secret government experiments that had gone awry. The world was in turmoil, war and famine was rife as climate change ravaged the Earth and many of its resources. For some of the population, the change in radiation activated a gene that could only be passed down and mutated from one or both parents once the mother gave birth. This prompted scientists to perform a series of genetic experiments on the human parents and their infants._

 

_The enhanced abilities and immortality of these infants baffled scientists, but before they could reveal this development to the world they were turned on and slaughtered, both by the children who became bloodthirsty and the human parents who couldn’t stand to see their children suffer. They fled only after destroying as much of the research as they could, shielding their existence from the world._

 

_For so long after that, these prodigy children and their parents lived in hiding. One particular family took over a ship and sailed the seas to keep themselves far from human civilisation. After a great storm that affected the entire world, they were left shipwrecked on an island._

 

_His elders believed at the time that they were a dying race, and so he was coupled with his sister to try and keep the bloodline pure and continue it onwards. She was growing impatient just as she was growing with pregnancy. They didn’t get along outside of anger fuelled lust._

 

_Not long after she fell pregnant, the elders proposed a plan to find others like them. Kaname was unlike the others, he was very quiet and withdrawn, and therefore the idea of a wider community troubled him. After all, they did not know what sort of danger these other beings could pose._

 

_Following a particularly harsh night, a small boat washed up on the shore with someone inside. They quickly discovered that the population of humans had dwindled rapidly, and that this person was one of those unable to die, giving the elders enough reason to set their plan into action. Consequently, Kaname found himself sat alone atop a piece of wreckage as the others set out to leave._

 

_His sister stopped by him on her way, a hand on her bump._

 

_“Climate change has drastically lowered the human population. If you want to stay there by yourself, then just do it. I’m going to travel to find others like us, people who “can’t die”. There must be more somewhere.”_

 

_She took a few steps away, and then stopped._

 

_“Farewell, Kaname. If you want to forget that too, that’s fine. It’s not like you have a use for a name now.”_

 

Yuuki couldn’t believe what she’d heard or seen. _Climate change?_

 

A memory of one of Hanabusa’s lessons gave her an indication of time. 

 

“ _There was a large scale climate change more than ten thousand years ago. It was at that time that the founders of our race, who had until then had existed scattered across the world, finally came to realise that there were more people like them.”_

 

It was so surreal. It was _too_ surreal. _Kaname was one of the original Ancestors?_

 

She soon found herself drifting into another memory, watching as the current scene collapsed into shards and fell away into the abyss.


	11. Fragments of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname's first life unfolds before Yuuki's eyes. She falls further and further, learning and becoming more involved in the many fragments of his past. Within those fragments, she meets a fated person whom Kaname has never spoken of, yet she finds the feelings stirring inside are so familiar that they cannot be denied.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 62 & 63.

 

_Eventually, Kaname did find his way into a society._

 

_It was difficult at first to live without the constant fear that he’d be exposed, but time and patience eventually won him over and he let his guard down more and more._

 

_After all, he liked helping people._

 

_He liked the cheerful children who thanked him for the advice that allowed them have a hearty harvest._

 

_He liked the elderly people who regarded him with a smile when he crossed them in the street as the sun set._

 

_He liked the fact that his blood, though it bound him to an eternal life, seemed to heal the sick as they lay in hospital beds._

 

_But the happy times didn’t last._

 

_“My Lord, are the rumours true?”_

 

_“Is it true that after night, you take little bits of blood from us villagers as we’re asleep?”_

 

_“Aside from that, you never go out in the sun, My Lord. You’ve been giving us blood in the place of medicine. And your looks have not changed at all since my father’s generation.”_

 

_“There are people saying things of you, calling you “monster” and “unnatural”.”_

 

_Yes, he knew that all too well. He saw the pitchforks and shovels, the glowing flames, the frightened and outraged faces crying into the night._

 

_“You beast!”_

 

_“Give back the blood you took from us!”_

 

_“You’ll pay us back with your own blood!”_

 

_“Dirty freak!”_

 

_“Pour out your medicinal blood for us!”_

 

_He found himself on the outskirts, alone just as he was before. The lights of the town were distant now, but yet he still felt the heat of the torches as though they were feet from his skin._

 

_A woman he hadn’t seen for a long time stepped out from the bushes, she had been watching him sitting under the tree._

 

_“Kaname, it’s only natural that humans would fear powerful beings so different from them.”_

 

_She was dressed the way his people did, the people who had left him behind. Her cloak obscured her face, but her long braid gave her away._

 

_He turned to look at her, and she outstretched her hand._

 

_“Our people must live away from them, it’s for their own good as well. Come on, there’s a place with people like us.”_

 

_She’d made the offer once before, years ago when he’d first arrived on the outskirts of town. This time, though, he didn’t decline._

 

Yuuki began to feel faint, she had fallen so far into the past that it was hurting her head. _These people now, they must be what built the foundations for the vampire race left today._

 

The image of Kaname stood alone reminded her painfully of Zero. _They really are alike in some ways._

 

Yet another memory opened up before her eyes.

 

_Kaname was no longer alone. He stood talking with hooded people, who seemed to be concerned._

 

_“I’m worried, you know? There’s been people who have been creating more and more “servants” for fun, even though we don’t need to turn that many to live, and it’s not like servants can survive off of thin air alone either.”_

 

_“I have a terribly bad feeling about this. They say they’re helping each other and that things are going well, but…”_

 

_But, Kaname knew, it wasn’t at all. Corrupted by greed, these people created even more fright amongst the humans and lied to their own kind. It was everything he’d feared would happen._

 

_“Kaname, wake up.”_

 

_He opened his eyes slowly and let out a groggy sigh._

 

_“That was the first time ever that I’ve seen one of us passed out on the ground. This happens to you because you continually refuse to find yourself volunteers willing to be turned into “servants”.”_

 

_He was used to her scolding by now and watched quietly as she rolled up her sleeve._

 

_“Drink, and don’t you tell me you forgot how to use your fangs or something like that. I’ll have you repay the favour right away. Lend me your power.”_

 

_After a moment of hesitation, he took her arm and drank obediently from her wrist. When he pulled away and licked her wrist clean, she rolled her sleeve back down._

 

_“I have to love someone in particular.” He wouldn’t just turn someone, not when there was one way he could be satisfied, even if it was fleeting._

 

_“You think if you do that you’ll be able to fool the “demon” that the thirst is and escape from endangering anyone with your fangs? You’re a fool, there’s no way you can make yourself do that for all eternity.”_

 

_He looked up at her, feeling hopeless in that moment. Realising she was being hard on him, her expression softened._

 

_“I came to understand you a little.” Her voice was softer this time, perhaps even soothing._

 

_“You did not speak even a single word of refutal against your vassals as you were cast away. You wont try to claim it was because you were lazy or anything, hm?”_

 

_Gently, she weaved her fingers into his hair. He leaned into her touch, his forehead resting against her chest, listening to the soft sound of her heart beating beneath her cloak._

 

_“Good boy,” she whispered soothingly, “Good boy, Kaname.”_

 

_He wanted to ask her, the woman who used such a voice to calm him in times of turmoil, what was it like to be in love?_

 

* * *

 

Yuuki no longer needed to drink Kaname’s blood. She was lost deeply in his memories, so far that she’d lost consciousness outside of it, and was left slumped in his arms, tears streaking down her face.

 

“You’ve always done so much for me, Yuuki. I already know what decision you’d make, what you’d do. That’s why, even though you’re catching on already, I must…”

 

_Shuffling feet. Lots of them._

 

Her eyes opened, still filled with tears. Surely enough, she was surrounded by a crowd of people. When she sat up her hair tumbled over her shoulders, back to its original length. 

 

No one seemed to notice her sitting there, they were all looking straight ahead and walking at the same pace.

 

“Humans who were turned into vampires?” 

 

_“Kaname! Leave these people for now!”_

 

_The hooded woman galloped over, extending a hand outwards._

 

_“Come, Kaname, we have more pressing matters.”_

 

She was stood right in front of her, so why did she address her as Kaname? Was she really talking to her?

 

“I…I’m not Kaname, I’m-”

 

The woman did not look in the slightest bit amused. She grabbed her arm before she could finish and hoisted her up onto the horse.

 

_“What are you saying? Come on! Please get a hold of yourself!”_

 

Her tone took Yuuki aback. Something was troubling her deeply, and her concern was evident. _She is the one who rescued Kaname-Oniisama. No, could she even call him that now?_

 

_“I’m counting on you.”_

 

Yuuki didn’t know why, but she felt her heart flutter in her chest, humming in her ears. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist, resting her head against her shoulder. The sound of the woman’s steady heartbeat put her at a strange ease. _What is this feeling?_

 

_It’s like this person is someone who holds a great importance to me._

 

_Without warning, the horse picked up speed. No matter how fast it traveled, the sea of people never seemed to lessen._

 

“There’s more and more of them.” Yuuki commented idly. 

 

_“Yes, it’s a pity for this to be happening right when the humans were finally managing to repopulate a little, after the losses they suffered due to the climate change. As of now more than half of our race has chosen the ideology of turning the entire human population into members of our race, human by human.”_

 

_It seemed surreal, that what seemed such a small group of people could do so much damage to so many others._

 

_“No, actually…it’s not a matter of turning them into equal members of the same race. They’re turning mankind into their submissive slaves, that’s what it is.”_

 

_The woman tilted her head upwards._

 

_“The castle they’re making their slaves build for them has gotten even bigger, hasn’t it?”_

 

“What?” She said without thinking, quickly remembering that she was still in Kaname’s memories. 

 

_“Don’t you “what” me! You said you would stop them at once, even if you had to fight them for that! So go!”_

 

The force of the hooded woman’s push sent her toppling off the horse. _Damn, she was strong._

 

_“The only way to stop the multiplications of ex-humans who have been turned is to cut the problem down at the root…and then we will simultaneously deal with the slaves who have lost their leaders.”_

 

_Did she mean…killing the Purebloods?_

 

_“I didn’t want to hurt our people when we have only finally now all met each other, but…” She trailed off, realising her guard had been let down by the mournful tone in her voice._

 

_“I realise I’m pushing a nasty duty onto your shoulders…sorry, Kaname.”_

 

Yuuki reached out.

 

_Her arm became Kaname’s, his hand brushing against the soft cheek of the hooded woman._

 

_“I’m fine. What about you though, you’re looking sort of pale today…are you okay?”_

 

_The feelings swirled around inside, the desire to protect this person, the desire to care for this person, the worry for this person’s wellbeing._

 

_Against the bleak skies, she was a beacon of light, smiling dazzlingly down from her steed._

 

_“Don’t worry, we’re all working together and doing our best.”_

 

It was hard for Yuuki to comprehend that these were the deepest feelings of Kaname's, ones he had carefully tucked away for so long. This intense, painful feeling of separation and the loneliness that comes with it, but yet the contradicting feeling of not being so alone any longer. 

 

The woman on the horse, who smiled at Kaname in such a profound way, was the person who gave these feelings to him. 

 

_As he played with her braid, she leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss. It was not like the angry, bruising kisses he once shared with his sister, nor the lacklustre kisses from the very brief romantic “adventures” he’d been on after her. It was a kiss that stole the breath from his lungs, that set his heart into a crescendo, that spoke words neither could ever say._

 

_“You’re a good boy, Kaname. Even if I’m not with you, you must work hard.” She murmured against his lips, sighing as he stole just one more kiss away, her words a whisper to the wind._

 

_It was only after she’d left that he’d know the feelings behind their kiss. It was only after she’d left he’d know she was saying goodbye._

 

It was silent, and suddenly Yuuki was in Kaname’s place again. The hooded woman was gone. A desperate voice of an older woman caught her attention and she turned around. 

 

_“Where are you going?! Come, let’s go home! If your boyfriend’s blood isn’t enough, mommy will give you hers too, okay?”_

 

_The woman had her hands on her daughters shoulder, tears gathered in her eyes as she pleaded. The daughter didn’t even seem to acknowledge her mother’s presence._

 

_“I am under orders from my master, so I’ll be going.”_

 

_“No! Come home with me! Wait! Wait right there, please! Aaaahh!!”_

 

Before Yuuki could intervene, call out, do _something_ , she was swallowed into the darkness once more.


	12. Sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mysterious and beautiful woman in Kaname's life reveals the extent of her importance to him and also to mankind when her life ends in a tragic, yet heroic, sacrifice. However, her death causes a change in the Ancestor that Yuuki only gets a glimpse of, but by doing so she becomes apart of his life in a way she'd never expected.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 63 & 64.

 

_The sky was clear and the sun was out, a breeze sweeping through the crops. It was a rare sight in a place that alternated regularly between rainfalls and fierce storms._

 

_He walked a few paces behind her, the braid in her hair flowing freely in the wind where it was usually tucked neatly into her cloak._

 

_“I don’t hate humans either, Kaname. We were all born with human parents, after all, we were just…different creatures to the others. Despite that, my parents really did love me. They were strong people who gave their lives to protect me. It didn’t matter how frail they were in comparison.”_

 

_He listened intently to her words, he could listen to her all day._

 

_She gazed over her shoulder at him with gentle eyes, although her tone remained levelled and serious._

 

_“That’s why, Kaname, I cannot forgive the person who forgot his purpose in life and played with those weak, yet strong, lives, that continued to live in hope by instinct. There’s no way I could keep silently watching.”_

 

_Yes, there was one person at the top of it all. He’d promised unity, but it was a facade to fashion a world of his own design, to make up for the fact he was falling deep into despair. He was behind the idea for these ex-human armies, he was the cause of the war._

 

_They called him the “Vampire King”._

 

_She was smiling at him now, the smile that she gave to no one else. A smile from the bottom of her heart._

 

_“Kaname, I also like humans.”_

 

_But just like that, her face fell once more._

 

_“I want to be useful to people. I want to be useful to Kaname, too.”_

 

_Another time, another place, back when things were even just a little calmer._

 

_The chemicals bubbled within their flasks, mixing with pieces of his own flesh and blood. He’d wanted to learn about the way beings like him could resurrect themselves, and how to stop it. He wanted to create a kill switch._

 

_He knew she was at the door, but waited for her to announce her presence in her own time._

 

_“There is no need for that kind of experiment. What does it do for us?”_

 

_“For mankind.” He corrected, setting aside the tongs._

 

_“Why mankind? They need it even less. We don’t plan to come into contact with humans for any reason other than when necessary. We don’t want to give them needless fear.”_

 

_Kaname glanced at her briefly, but then turned back and continued his work. He’d heard the whispers about people turning humans for their own fun and greed. He knew she had too, even if she was in denial._

 

_She was always so optimistic like that._

 

_He experimented for so long, and eventually came to one conclusion. The only thing that can kill someone with pure blood is themselves. A specific part of the flesh and blood can alter the metallic soup he’d crafted._

 

_One fateful day, he brought the hooded woman to observe his findings._

 

_“This is all I have for the moment, but you can see some progress.”_

 

_“Hmm.”_

 

_She folded her arms, her expression becoming pensive._

 

_“Do you think this may work?”_

 

_“With what’s going on right now, we can only hope.”_

 

_But he could never have foreseen, nor hoped, for what those experiments would have resulted in._

 

_He was too late. He’d been working hard at the frontline, but just hours in his body was screaming that something was amiss. By the time he got back to the furnace, she was gone. Her heart had been torn from her chest, engulfed in the furnace’s flames, thrown by her own hand. She lay on the slab, lifeless, a cluster of humans surrounding her._

 

_From the smell he knew that she’d given her blood, and some did not survive the consumption of it._

 

_Slowly, he stepped towards her lifeless form, his world crashing down around him. It was supposed to be he who sacrificed his heart, he who was supposed to lie dead on the table. It was never supposed to be this way._

 

_One of the men spoke up._

 

_“That woman threw her heart into the blast furnace. Even then she moved around without concern, handing out her blood to us. I don’t know much about you guys, but weren’t you supposed to be a monster that’s incapable of dying, no matter what?”_

 

_Indeed, they were._

 

_Kaname ran his fingers through her hair. She had never looked more peaceful, more beautiful, even as cracks appeared on her face._

 

_Without warning, she shattered into a million pieces, leaving Kaname alone once more._

 

_He had never intended to be attached to anyone, not even to his own person, but the event that day never left his mind for one second, nor the feelings that came flooding in with it. The moment he realised the attachment that had formed, was the moment that she had fulfilled her duty._

 

_I regret losing you._

 

Yuuki’s hands clasped over her mouth as she watched in horror at what had transpired, at the horrendous loss Kaname had just suffered. _He was in love with her._

 

_The furnace began to shake and suddenly flames shot out, morphing themselves into what looked like the points of numerous weapons. They went straight for Kaname._

 

“Kaname-senpai!”

 

_But there was no point, he couldn’t hear her warning._ She lunged forward, passing straight through him like a ghost, and landed on her knees. 

 

_“I know. “You” also want to hurry and fight, right?” He was talking, she realised, to the weapons._

 

_He turned his attention back to the humans._

 

_“You people are the ones who took her flesh and blood in order to acquire the power to protect yourselves. You are the ones who survived. Your enemies are the fools who continue to believe they can’t have their lives taken away by you. I shall grant you wisdom, make weapons from this furnace. To every last one of you, I give you a role, you cannot run away from your obligations. You will seek bloodshed, just as we have, from a hateful instinct.”_

 

_Everything shattered apart in front of Yuuki’s eyes. She felt herself floating for a while, weightless in an expanse of darkness._

 

Then she opened her eyes. 

 

_It was a strange scene. The moon in the sky was tinted red. It was humid, ash floating like dust through the air around her. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the remnants of stone, pieces of structure and broken walls, Yuuki would have sworn she was standing in the middle of a desert._

 

_There was a man in front of her, clad in what she believed to be the uniform of a soldier. He had a band on one arm. It reminded her of brighter days, soaked in the evening sun as she blew whistles and chased away screaming girls._

 

Hesitantly, Yuuki stepped forward. She heard a crunch beneath her feet and realised that she’d just stood on a mirror. 

 

She was surprised that it got the man’s attention. 

 

No, it wasn’t just a man, it was _Kaname_ \- a shadow of his better days, but him nonetheless. 

 

_“Who are you?” His tone was so familiar, a tone that carried his voice even now. A tone of pure exhaustion._

 

Figuring he was talking to someone else, Yuuki glanced about. No, there was no one. But…

  
“Me?! Why, you can see me?!”

 

_“I can.” He sounded so nonchalant, it made her feel uncomfortable._

 

Her attention was suddenly drawn to the scythe in his hand. She felt her hand reach forward out of instinct.

 

“Artemis…” 

 

_“Artemis?” He repeated. “Yes, Goddess of the Hunt, Chastity and the Moon. It certainly is a worthy name for this thing.”_

 

_He gazed up at the moon._

_  
“I can hardly feel emotions anymore.These weapons are only thinking of merely slaughtering vampires.”_

 

_He clenched his fists around Artemis, and it responded in kind with a jolt of electricity. Bloody Rose, seeming to ‘hear’ the response of Artemis, began to react. Its vines curled and stretched and wound themselves around the other weapon._

 

_Kaname lifted the Bloody Rose, an unusual sight, and held it close._

 

“The weapon is essentially that very person.” She said without thinking.

 

_Kaname shook his head almost mournfully._

 

_“Weapons are weapons. They are not objects that will transform into her.”_

 

“Then…are you going to substitute her for someone else?”

_He almost laughed. Perhaps once, long ago, he would have thought that way. Back in a time when he was riddled with guilt, with grief, with thirst. He could hardly remember what happened in those days now._

 

_“Quit saying such empty things, Young Vampire Miss. No one can be a replacement for another person. That is why farewells are always difficult.”_

 

The way he held the Bloody Rose to his face, his face a shadow against the illumination of the moon, it reminded her of Zero.

 

He was right. No one could ever replace anyone else. The farewell on that snowy day, in a setting reminiscent of this one, was perhaps the most difficult she’d had to face. Now that the true identity of her brother was revealed, it became painfully clear that she could no longer try to replace him with the Kaname she knows, either.

 

_“Kaname-san. The other side has already converged. It seems like it’s going to be an even worse situation this time.”_

 

_He glanced over at his comrades, the woman at the front stood with her head held high beneath her hood. Truly, he never thought he’d see his sister again, nor the child she bore in his absence. Just like before, they had fallen into a familiar pattern of anger and lust._

 

_She hadn’t changed._

 

_“Was someone there just now? I thought I heard you talking.” He could detect the venom in her voice._

 

_“No, a girl who put a name on my weapon was just standing right there.” He gestured to the space where Yuuki once stood, the only indication of her presence being the mirror she cracked._

 

_“It’s a premonition I often have. I think I perhaps saw a vision of the future.”_

 

_But a vision of the future didn’t bring him hope. Despite reuniting with his son, bearing a further two daughters and winning many bloody wars that seemed to come and go as often as the waves crashed to the shore, Kaname didn’t feel anything any longer. The only solace he ever had was in the jolts and hums of his weapons, but that would never be enough._

 

_Knowing he was falling into despair, Kaname sealed himself away in his tomb. His heart, battered with exhaustion, fell into a quiet lull. He had never intended to wake up from that slumber._

 

_But then, when an infant squeezed his finger and regarded him with large, curious eyes, he began to realise he had woken up after all._

 

_He never wanted to let go of that warmth ever again, no matter what it cost._

 

_No matter what._

 

As the doors slammed over his memories, Yuuki jolted awake from her slumber.


	13. Past, Present and Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki's intrusion into Kaname's past forces all of his memories to the surface, bringing the emotional and mental suffering along with it. Hanabusa's arrival back at the manor is not met with a warm welcome. After awakening, Yuuki grieves for her brother, but soon has to face the present once again for the sake of the future - in the form of a banquet. Meanwhile, Takuma is caught in a Pureblood's web. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 52 & 53.

 

_One, two, three tablets._

 

He didn’t think he’d find himself at this point again, pouring out tablets into a glass and watching them dissolve. 

 

Here he was, though, and he was desperate for the release, any release. 

 

_Everything, no matter what, is a reminder of her._

 

Those memories were tucked away for a reason, he never meant to unload so much of a burden onto Yuuki’s young shoulders. However, it was too late now, his unclean memories were etched into her mind. 

 

Memories of dark days and dazzling nights. Memories of bloody wars. Memories of _her_. 

 

He took a sip, dispelling the recollections that had gathered in his mind. It simply wouldn’t do to keep dwelling on it. He couldn't bring her back. The present was more important, especially now those memories were fresh in his mind and his heart again.

 

The door opening behind him distracted him from his thoughts. He already knew who it was.

 

“You’re back. It’s a good thing, too. It would have been troublesome if you were to be taken prisoner.” 

 

Hanabusa rubbed his neck, ignoring the sting he felt in his heart.

 

“Is Yuuki-sama okay?” It still felt uncomfortable to call her that.

 

“She’s fine, just resting.” 

 

“That’s good, I’m glad.” He heard Hanabusa sigh and turned to face him.

 

“You let her get hurt, I hope you haven’t forgotten that.” 

 

“Kaname-sama, I-“

 

“You also let her into the library on her own, didn’t you?” 

 

“I only wanted to help her learn-“ 

 

The sound of a pale, firm hand colliding with a cheek filled the room with an echo. 

 

“I want that room emptied. Yuuki only needs to know what she is told. Nothing more. The past is in the past.” He bit out the last part, his eyes glowing a dull red.

 

Hanabusa didn’t realise he was on the floor, grasping his cheek, his body wracked with shock and pain. 

 

“Y…Yes, Kaname-sama.” 

 

He watched Kaname leave the room, and knew then exactly what he had to do.

 

* * *

 

She was in her room, in her bed, in a nightgown. Her mind was swimming with questions, her eyes pooling with fresh tears. 

 

But she wasn’t alone, so she didn’t dare to cry. 

 

Only candles lit her room, but she quickly made out a figure sat close to her on a chair. It was Ruka.

 

“Ruka-san?” 

 

Ruka looked up at the confused teen, who rubbed away tears with her palm in an effort to look like she was rubbing away sleep.

 

“You’re awake.” 

 

“How did I get here? Where is Kaname-on-… senpai? Why am I…” she trailed off, flustered.

 

“He asked me to dress you in a set of clean clothes, please don’t panic. I was summoned to help take you to your room to rest. Kaname-sama has other matters to attend to.”

 

Ruka’s explanation put her mind at ease, but made her heart sink. He was too busy to stay, once again. 

 

“Thank you.” She said quietly, sinking into the bed.

 

“There’s a banquet coming up. I’ll be helping you to prepare for it. I trust you are alright with that?”  


 

“Of course, thank you.” She didn’t mean to sound short, but her mind and her heart were elsewhere.

 

Ruka seemed to understand. She stood and bowed, taking her leave politely shortly after. The door clicked shut and Yuuki was all alone, free to cry into the darkness, to scream her grief into her pillow.

 

And so she did.

 

* * *

 

Takuma wasn’t alone, but sometimes he definitely felt that way. 

 

She was a relentless, cruel woman who had him twisted around her fingertips, a fly in her web. His grandfather had told him once about her. The infamous Sara Shirabuki, a woman who was as beautiful as she was cunning and sly.

 

Even as she reclined on her plush couch, watching an invitation catch fire with a relaxed smile, he knew that she was scheming something. 

 

“The invitation for a banquet from Kaname-san.” She mused, softly giggling at the thought. 

 

He hadn’t seen Kaname in quite some time.

 

“And the surprising thing is, your invitation was sent to me as well.” 

 

She was right, but he wasn’t surprised.

 

“Takuma, Kaname-san really knows where you are.” 

 

He regarded the woman with a gentle smile.

 

“Because he is Kaname.” 

 

Thoughtfully, she pressed his invitation to her lips, a gesture that stirred Takuma as he leaned against the back of the couch. 

 

“Who is the real misdoer?” She pondered, her question lost to the flames before them. 

 

* * *

 

Yuuki had never felt more nervous in her whole life. 

 

It was a different sort of nervous to seeing a crush, to being bitten, to facing a battle. It must have been, she decided, the nerves only a Princess would feel. 

 

Ruka was impatient, she could hear her tapping her foot behind her. 

 

“Well, shall we start?” 

 

Yuuki curled herself up into a tighter ball. 

 

“Come on.” 

 

“Ruka-san, I’m not so sure about this after all. It just seems so dangerous, I can’t help but worry.” 

 

“What?! Please stop that, the maids from the Aidou family can hear you!” She was impossibly flustered, _hadn’t this girl been outside against Kaname’s wishes for hours just days before?_

 

Ruka turned her attention to the maids, who were eagerly waiting for orders.

 

“Pay her no mind, you can proceed!” 

 

Before she could react, Yuuki found herself in a whirlwind of fabric and hands, stripping off her garments to a simple nightgown, despite her protests and squeaks of embarrassment. 

 

Once the maids had done their duty and stepped away, Ruka sat the teen on a stool opposite her own and grasped her hand. 

 

“Now then, let’s start with the manicure. I’ll do your nails for you so that they’re just right.”

 

“Ah, uhm-”

 

“Huh? It seems you suddenly became able to do them so much better than before… In fact, they are so well done we can leave them the way they are.” 

 

Yuuki recoiled slightly, her cheeks burning hot.

 

“Ah. Kaname-sama did your nails for you, didn’t he?” 

 

She responded with a frown.

 

“I told him that there was no need for that, that he could stop, but…”

 

_“Oh, I’m not stopping. This is far too much fun, I just can’t stop no matter what you say.”_

 

_She could no nothing more but watch as he painted each nail with almost total precision, his face the calmest she’d seen for a while. He grabbed her foot, despite her protests, and continued on her toes._

 

“He was so good at it too, it’s amazing. I’m actually not sure what to think about him being so skilled at manicures and pedicures, or what could be the purpose of him learning a skill so well.”

 

She remembered wondering if he did things like that for the hooded woman, someone who he wouldn’t mention or even give a name to since that night.

 

Ruka sighed softly.

 

“Tell me about it, he’s hopeless isn’t he? But, well…I’m glad you two are getting on well.”

 

“Ruka-san…” 

 

The look on Ruka’s face reminded Yuuki of her friend’s emotional conflict. She loved Kaname, and had done for years. 

 

The young woman turned her head up, changing the subject.

 

“By the way, you may seem some familiar faces at the banquet, people you knew before. I know you may feel nostalgic, but please remember to remain ladylike.” 

 

_People I knew before…she means…_

 

“I know. I’ll be careful.”

 

* * *

 

Akatsuki waited patiently for what must have been at least two hours outside of that door. He wasn’t sure what exactly he had heard, nor whether he even wanted to know what he’d heard. 

 

Footsteps approached, he knew those footsteps all to well.

 

“Kaname-sama, it seems they’re done getting ready.”

 

“Are they? Thank you.” The man passed by coolly, as though he was on edge about something.

 

He knocked at the door.

 

“Yuuki? May I come in?”

 

The doors opened and Yuuki curtseyed in welcome.

 

“Senpai.” 

 

Kaname tutted at her.

 

“That won’t do. You promised tonight that you’d start calling me by ‘Kaname’, remember?”

 

He reached out his hand.

 

“Come, Yuuki, let’s go.”


	14. Lamb in a Lion's Den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The banquet is almost ready to begin. Reluctant guests, Senri and Rima, accidentally encounter their missing dear friend in a very strange position. Elsewhere, the hunters are setting up when Kaito is revealed to have smuggled in a very vulnerable guest. For the first time, Yuuki is introduced to the vampire society as their Princess. Not for the first time, she lays eyes on Zero. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 53 & 54.

 

“You know I… I really did not want to come here!” 

 

Senri couldn’t help but feel sorry for Rima, who stood awkwardly near the entrance, clutching at the skirts of her dress. 

 

“You and I aren’t even part of the Kuran faction anyway, so why do we-”

 

“Please, Rima. Two of my cousins are coming, I should stand with them even if it’s just out of duty. I want to do this.” 

 

She huffed, her cheeks turning rosy at the sincerity in his tone, and stormed past him.

 

“To think I have to work tomorrow, I hate the Dorm President!” Her heels clacked loudly against each step as she moved, Senri following in slightly stunned silence.

 

“He may have let us know that Ichijou-san was safe, but he also told us not to go looking for him, and he absolutely wouldn’t let us know where to find him!” 

 

Finally, she slowed down, allowing Senri to fall into a steady pace at her side.

 

“I know, it’s not cool.” 

 

“Totally. This sucks!”

 

“Ah, sorry, could you two please move out of the way? I’m in a hurry.” 

 

“Excuse us.” The pair of them stepped aside to let the person pass.

 

“Thank you~!” 

 

The jovial tone of voice and neatly styled blonde hair were the greatest indications to Rima and Senri in that moment that they had found who they were looking for.

 

Takuma, clad in uniform and carrying two heavy looking trays, glanced over his shoulder at the pair and stopped in his tracks.

 

The trio found themselves in a stare off filled with both confusion and surprise. 

 

* * *

 

It was an intimidating sight, a group of men in dark suits that gave off the distinct aura belonging only to a hunter. Idly, Zero wondered if the others didn’t want to be there as much as he didn’t. The last thing he needed to do right now was to see _her_ again, to feel the concern he’d almost let slip from the mask that day.

 

Kaito seemed to notice Zero’s thoughtful expression and cleared his throat.

 

“It never gets easier, going into a nest full of those beasts. I suppose you and I both are even now, we both know just how cruel Purebloods are.”

 

Zero’s lack of response only prompted him to continue on.

 

“I hate them too, you know. I wouldn’t blame you if you felt the urge to decimate them all.” 

 

“Kaito, you… When you showed up at the Academy, I initially thought you’d come to kill me, just as you killed your brother.” 

 

He didn’t know why he needed to add that painful detail in, but Kaito didn’t seem to show bother by it.

 

“Believe me, Zero, if you get violent and I fear you may harm me, I will definitely kill you.” 

 

A great chandelier came into sight and soon after so did the guests, their chatter just noise to Zero’s ears. 

 

“Well, it’s time for the ever-so-boring surveillance job.” 

 

A man approached Kaito with a large case as he surveyed the area.

 

“Here is the luggage you left with us earlier, sir.”

 

“Ah, thanks.”

 

Zero could hear Kaito fumbling with the case, but paid little mind. His eyes were scanning the room, seeking out the one person he shouldn’t dare to seek out.

 

She wasn’t there.

 

“Your patience has paid off, you can come out now.” 

 

Kaito’s words caught Zero’s attention immediately. Alarmed, he watched in horror as Yori sheepishly climbed out of the case and steadied herself, brushing down her skirts.

 

Zero’s hands were on Kaito’s collar, threatening to lift him from the ground.

 

“Kaito, what the hell?!” 

 

“Relax. I can protect a single human, no problem. If you’re so worried, how about you keep an eye on her too?”

 

Zero released his grip, scowling. 

 

Kaito looked over at Yori, who was stood patiently with her hands clasped tightly together.

 

“Alright Wakaba-kun, go and find your friend, but remember that you have to stay where I can see you.”

 

“Okay.” Yori nodded in agreement before turning away and easing her way into the crowd.

 

“You see, now we have a little lamb joining the party. Look, Zero, do you see the bloodsucker’s eyes changing colour as she passes by?” 

 

Zero glared at Kaito, but took a look anyway. The crowd was a flurry of reddening eyes and soft whispers. 

 

“You became a teacher, Kaito. What class do you teach?” 

 

“Ethics, why do you ask?”

 

Zero gave no reply.

 

“If by any chance one of those vampires makes a move to harm Wakaba, you’ll have right there a perfectly legal reason to make your move and kill that vampire.” 

 

He heard Kaito’s words, dripping in venom and bloodlust, but they were drowned out by the hum of the crowd as the royal pair stepped into the room. 

 

Without the coat, he could see just how thin she had gotten. She was pale, her cheeks dusted pink, with long hair and reddish brown eyes. Her dress was a shade of pearl, an elaborate composition of frills and ribbons, but it was evident she was slightly too small for it. Kaname whispered something in her ear and she took a few steps forward hesitantly. 

 

He could only wonder what had happened after she went home that day. 

 

As though she could hear his thoughts, she lifted her gaze and her eyes met his from across the room. Everyone else had their eyes on her, she could tell by the prickling in her skin, but still she held her gaze steady for as long as time would allow. 

 

_“Yuuki, Kiryuu-kun will be attending the banquet as well, although he will be there on behalf of his work.”_

 

_He said it in a careful fashion, keeping a steady hand on her foot as he filed her nails._

 

_“Are you uneasy with that? Are you afraid he might pull his gun out on us there, especially after what happened?”_

 

_It stung her to hear him remind her of that._

 

_“No. The Zero I know is dutiful, if he is there for his work then he won’t do that.”_

 

_Kaname chuckled, if only slightly._

 

_“I think the same. I must confess, though, that I just felt a tiny pang of jealousy.”_

 

Kaname’s arm tugged her just slightly in movement. 

 

The spell was broken.

 

Bowing her head, Yuuki continued on through the crowd, feeling dozens of eyes hungrily feasting upon the sight of fresh blood. They were soon brought to a stop by a man who spared a bow.

 

“How are you tonight Kaname-sama? Is this young lady your sister?” 

 

His question seemed to start a crescendo of others in the crowd.

 

“How are you doing, Your Highness? Kaname-sama has informed us of your existence, but he wouldn’t say anything more and we are curious.”

 

It was overwhelming.

 

“Kindly come closer to the centre.”

 

There were so many of them.

 

“We all want to admire your beautiful face.”

 

They all looked so hungry.

 

“Come.”

 

Is this really what it was to be like from now on?

 

“Come closer, Your Highness.” 

 

_“Yuuki, I did not tell them your name. I didn’t want to tell it to them. When they ask you things, it is up to you to decide what you are comfortable with letting them know, if anything at all.”_

 

_Kaname’s tone and expression turned completely serious as he spoke. It was unnerving._

 

“Your Highness, we still have not heard your name.” 

 

_Breathe_. 

 

“I’m Yuuki, it’s a pleasure to meet you all.”


	15. Enemy of Purebloods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While reflecting on a conversation with Kaname, Yuuki begins to understand more about just how difficult it can be to be a Pureblood amongst vampires. Eager to find her friend, Yori mingles amongst those same vampires, and encounters Sara Shirabuki. Zero's cold intervention just as Yuuki finds her dear friend leaves Zero and Yuuki at odds with one another.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 54.

 

“Yuuki-sama.” Her name rolled off the tongues of vampires throughout the ball, like a ripple in a pond. 

 

“Come to think of it, your features strikingly resemble that of Juri-sama, but you have Haruka-sama’s soft gaze.” 

 

She blinked and smiled through their compliments, not letting anything slip.

 

_“There will certainly be people who will approach us, talking freely about our late parents, whether it be in idle chatter or unwelcome gossiping.”_

 

_It was a foreign notion to Yuuki, to be so candid about something like that._

 

_“Be wary of them, Yuuki.” Kaname warned, releasing her foot._

 

_“None of it is done out of affection or sympathy. Some of them do it to try and ingratiate themselves with us. Some do it for the sake of hurting us and amusing themselves by watching Purebloods feel shaken. Some even do it for both reasons.”_

 

_Yuuki frowned. It must have been lonely, to have to grow up through this._

 

_“Don’t let their insincere flattery and lies touch you, Yuuki. It’s perfectly fine for you to brush them off and ignore them. You have no obligation to disclose anything you don’t want to.”_

 

_He shifted slightly, presumably to make himself more comfortable._

 

_“Besides, the vampire society know all they need to about our late parents, anyway. They’ve been told that ‘Haruka and Juri lived through a great many centuries, and their hearts and will to go on had reached their limits. They might not have reached the limit if they had abandoned themselves to the violent vampiric nature, or even to madness like their elder brother, Rido.’”_

 

_Yuuki felt increasingly uncomfortable. The truth was masked from the public, yet again, shrouded in secrecy and lies. The murder of her parents, cold blooded and cruel, was spun into a tale of suicide from a pair who had at least one young child known to the public. What kind of light did that paint her beloved parents in?_

 

_“In any case,” Kaname continued, “the Vampire Council and Rido have destroyed the last of the peaceful times of happiness the two were still enjoying on this world, so…after that, after such a loss there was nothing left for them but destruction.”_

 

_It was unbearable, the emotions came flooding back to her in a few simple sentences. Her parents sacrificing their lives, her ten years in the dark, Kaname’s ten years of loneliness, her brother’s horrific murder. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks before she could stop them. Kaname reached up and wiped her tears away._

 

_“Sorry, please don’t cry.”_

 

“Oh Yuuki-sama, Haruka-sama and Juri-sama have left us such a marvellous and delightful treasure. We could never have imagined such a wonderful thing.” 

 

Hearing what she could hear, feeling what she felt at that moment, made her sure that she was at least glad that her real brother never had to experience this sort of treatment. 

 

“Oh yes, the Purebloods are our precious treasures, so of course we intend to protect you very well - and of course we shall swear our loyalty.”

 

She felt Kaname give her hand a reassuring squeeze, but her heart was still hammering nonetheless.

 

_“Yuuki, there is something you absolutely must know before the ball.”_

 

_She steeled herself for what he was about to say, blinking back the last of her tears._

 

_“In the eyes of the vast majority of the vampire society, we Purebloods are the most desirable of prey that exists, more so than the blood of human children, and more so than the blood of their most beloved person.”_

 

_Kaname brought his hand to his mouth and licked away the remnants of her tears._

 

_“However, when we do feel like fighting back, Purebloods can take control of them. That is the only reason they seem to respect and obey us. Truthfully, they are waiting for any chance for us to slip us so they can strike out. That sort of power balance is what our society is built on.”_

 

She was brought out of her thoughts by a nearby voice.

 

“My lady, I have heard that two other Purebloods will also be gracing us with their presence later?” 

 

“Yes, Kaname has told me as well.” She replied politely. 

 

The man was only slightly taller than Yuuki, but she could tell he was quite a bit older. He held in his hand a glass filled with a crimson liquid. 

 

“We will be looking forward.” 

 

After a few moments, Kaname murmured.

 

“That is a cocktail made with wine and “water of life”, Yuuki. It’s brought in discreetly with high-quality human blood, obtained without any issue, so please don’t worry.” 

 

“Would you like me to fetch you a glass, Yuuki-sama?” The man offered.

 

“No, thank you.” 

 

A scent drifted past her, taking her off guard momentarily. She _knew_ that scent.

 

“The scent of a human, are there any in the grand hall other than the hunters?” 

 

“There are, although there are only few.”

 

He lowered his voice so only she could hear him.

 

“What’s wrong?” 

 

“No, it’s nothing.” It couldn’t have been. There was no way.

 

Elsewhere in the crowd, Yori found herself weaving her way through crowds of people who appeared elegant but were really anything but.

 

“Hey, wait.”

 

“Miss, hey.”

 

“Did you come here alone?” 

 

“Young lady, do you have any idea what type of gathering this is?” 

 

“To invite such a young human girl to this ball, Kaname-sama has done quite a dangerous thing!”

 

“Perhaps she is an offering intended for his younger sister? Certainly not at an official ball under hunter surveillance?” 

 

“What is he intending to do with this young girl, I wonder?”

 

They spoke as though she was not there. It set her on edge, and despite the warmth in the room she felt goosebumps prickling her skin.

 

“Excuse me, would you kindly let me through?” She hoped her voice didn’t sound too meek.

 

“Oops, they are looking at us, what do you suppose we should do?”

 

“I think that for the safety of the young human lady here, we shouldn’t risk leaving her by herself.” 

 

“I’m fine, really. I just need you to let me go through.” She knew she was being blunt at this point, but the adrenaline was rushing through her veins.

 

Kaito sighed, folding his arms. He could tell that Zero was watching Yori with the eyes of a hawk, he could practically feel the tension in his aura oozing from where he stood. 

 

“Everyone, there is no need to be concerned. After all, we are among ladies and gentlemen here tonight, and we are all trustworthy guests invited by our host, Kaname-sama, are we not?” 

 

Her voice was clear and yet sultry, cutting through the murmurs and chatter like a knife to hot butter. The crowd parted as she walked, heels clacking against the floor as she approached Yori. The whispers of her name swelled around her.

 

“Sara-sama!”

 

“Sara-sama…”

 

“You weren’t scared?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. 

 

“What a brave young person you are, and so cute as well!”

 

Yori clutched her shawl tighter. 

 

“Were you trying to go and greet the hosts of the party, by any chance? If you’d like, I’d be happy to take you to see them.” 

 

She saw her reach for her hand, but found herself unable to respond.

 

Seemingly out of nowhere, Zero appeared, his hand grabbed onto Sara’s arm and wrenched it away from Yori by force. It left the room stunned and startled. 

 

“Don’t go touching a human so easily, Pureblood.” He hissed coolly, lavender eyes piercing into Sara’s.

 

“Zero-kun, you’re mistaken! This person was just going to-”

 

“Please let me through!” 

 

The frantic sound of heels echoed through the room as Yuuki made her way to the scene.

 

“So it really _was_ you, Yori-chan! Are you alright?”

 

“Yuuki!” 

 

Seeing the tense situation in front of her, Yuuki slowed to a cautious stop. 

 

“I’m fine, really. This person was going to help me find you.”

 

Yuuki recognised the woman, but had little to say to her in that moment. She turned her focus to Zero, who was keeping his eyes trained on the blonde Pureblood.  


Tentatively, she reached out and laid her hand on Zero’s arm.

 

“Would you please let go of her, she is one of our precious guests.”

 

He met her steady gaze with stormy eyes, and the world seemed to fall silent.


	16. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although the situation has been defused, Yuuki finds herself in an uncomfortable position with Sara. Soon, though, Yuuki is whisked away with the promise of reuniting with Yori again. Whilst reflecting on her brief, yet electric encounter with Zero, Kaname and Sara play a dangerous game. Meanwhile, Yori is perplexed by Zero's behaviour.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 54 & 55.

 

Reluctantly, Zero released Sara’s hand, but before Yuuki could thank him he grasped Yori’s wrist and pulled her through the crowd.

 

“Move along, Wakaba. You already saw her, that’s enough.”

 

Yori nodded in understanding, but still did her best to spare a wave and a sad smile at her dear friend.

 

“Yuuki, I’m really glad to know you’re doing well!” 

 

Yuuki returned her smile with equal sadness.

 

“Same here, Yori-chan.” 

 

“My, she’s a delicious looking human, isn’t she?” She could feel Sara threading her fingers through her hair.

 

Yuuki turned to look back at Sara.

 

“Please stop, she’s a dear friend.” 

 

Sara let go of her hair, but her gentle smile remained.

  
“Of course, I’m sorry.” 

 

Her attention briefly turned to the crowd and the commanding tone of voice returned.

 

“You heard her, everyone. The human is a precious friend, so you mustn’t touch her.” 

 

Before Yuuki could excuse herself, Sara placed a hand on her arm.

  
“By the way, it’s a pleasure to meet you Yuuki-san. I’m Sara Shirabuki, let’s be good friends. After all, there are so few Purebloods left.” 

 

A strange scent emanated from her body. Yuuki sniffed as discreetly as she could. 

 

“I’m sorry to leave you so soon, but I must go and greet Kaname-san as well.” 

 

Silently, Yuuki watched as Sara walked away. Once she was out of sight, she let herself frown. 

 

_There was a distinct, but faint, scent of fresh blood clinging to her._

 

It was also definitely the same woman from the soiree she had witnessed as a human. Another reminder of those days. Another reminder that she, along with Kaname and Sara, were enemies to Zero. 

 

“Kaname-sama asked me to tell you something.” 

 

She didn’t even notice Hanabusa had approached her. 

 

“He asked for me to arrange for you to be able to go and spend time with your friend. Wait for her in the drawing room. Just give whatever excuse you like for your momentary departure.” 

 

As quickly as he came, he had walked away again. She turned her head, processing what she had just heard. Then, she shot off as fast as she could through the crowd, not even bothering to excuse herself. 

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Kaname was stopped by Akatsuki, who regarded him with concerned eyes.

 

“Kaname-sama, are you sure that it’s alright?” 

 

“It is best to make it clear to all who is the person you intend to protect the most. For that purpose, the vampire society has seen enough of Yuuki for tonight. She doesn’t have to stay for the whole party, it’s perfectly fine for her to return at the end.” 

 

Murmurs in the crowd let him know exactly who was approaching.

 

“Besides,” he continued, though his focus was elsewhere, “I’d rather Yuuki isn’t around when Sara and I talk.” 

 

“Kaname-sama, I have news to report.” 

 

If Akatsuki wasn’t used to Seiren’s sudden arrivals by now, he would have been startled. 

 

“The other Pureblood guest, Ouri-sama, has disappeared. There’s just a drifting scent of blood left in the drawing room.” 

 

Kaname smiled strangely.

 

“I see.” 

 

Zero’s pull was forceful and fast, it made Yori’s head spin.

 

“Zero-kun! Is it so wrong for me to want to talk to Yuuki for a moment in peace?” 

 

He didn’t let up, despite her protest.

 

“That woman who offered to help you had the scent of freshly spilled blood.”

 

* * *

 

Yuuki entered the room. Only Ruka was there, seemingly waiting for her. She excused herself upon seeing the look on Yuuki’s face.

 

“Just a moment.” 

 

When the door closed, Yuuki found herself pressing her hands to the door. 

 

“A whole year without seeing you and despite the opportunity I gave myself, I didn’t come to visit you…so you put yourself through all of this risk for me, even though I should have taken the initiative all along.” She mumbled mournfully, reflecting on the events that had just transpired. 

 

She clutched her hands close to her chest, the memory of it touching Zero’s arm freshening in her mind, and bowed her head, unsure of whether she felt guilt or private elation. All she knew for certain in that moment was the tightening grip of thirst in her throat. 

 

“You were visiting your fiancé, Sara?” 

 

The air was tense, electric. She didn’t respond, daring him to push further. So he did. 

 

“How unbelievably vulgar of you to come to the ballroom immediately after that, still wrapped in the scent of your meal.” 

 

A smirk played on her lips. She pressed her gloved fingers to them. 

 

“Yes, it’s indeed as you say Kaname-san, I truly did something offensive.”

 

* * *

 

Zero had tuned Yori’s voice out, she knew that much, but she persisted anyway. 

 

“Zero-kun, I don’t get it! Sure, they do seem a bit scary but…I don’t think we need to be wary of all of these people!” 

 

“The young human lady is right, we are all gentlemen here after all.” 

 

Zero stopped dead in his tracks and shot the darkest, coldest look Yori had seen for a while at the man who had spoken up. 

 

He leered at the silver haired teen.

 

“Ooh, how frightening.”

 

With more force than usual, Zero thrust Yori towards Kaito, who was also given a look of complete anger. 

 

“Wakaba, stay near Kaito, don’t wander off!” 

 

Despite his clear distress, Kaito couldn’t resist but commenting.

 

“Good that you didn’t take my bait, despite how you are practically dripping with the urge to kill them.” 

 

Kaito didn’t know _anything_ about how he felt _._ It was simply no good. He needed to calm down, he needed to get away, he needed…

 

“Kiryuu! Wakaba!” 

 

_Great._

 

The wild haired blonde strode over, seemingly in a bit of a hurry. 

 

“Would the two of you mind giving an hour of your time? We wish for you to come meet Yuuki-sama, it’s a request from the host of the party, Kaname-sama.”

 

Yori suddenly looked hopeful again.

 

“Is that really okay, Aidou-senpai?”

 

“Yes.” 

 

Kaito looked bored.

 

“Why don’t you just go? Your friend is that Kuran Princess, am I right? I got the feeling she’s a good girl, just a lion cub for now.”

 

Before she could reply to his comment about her dear friend, he pushed her forward.

 

“It’s fine, go! Zero will be there with you, anyway.”

 

“Follow me.” Hanabusa seemed far too eager, Zero supposed he was aiming to talk with him as he had asked to days before.

 

Kaito watched the three leave and then rubbed his head, exasperated.

 

“Geez, how annoying.” 


	17. A Fateful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Kaien Cross has a chance to see his daughter again, he is swept up in an emergency mission. Takuma's predicament and strange behaviour has Rima and Senri suspicious and fearful for his wellbeing. After making sure Yori and Yuuki are reunited safely, Hanabusa gives Zero something that could potentially change everything. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 55.

 

“Sorry to trouble you Kain-kun, and thank you. I’ll only take a little time and then I’ll be done.” 

 

Kaien had a sheepish smile on his face. He looked oddly stuffy in his suit.

 

“But to think the day would come where I would have to get permission to see my daughter.” 

 

Akatsuki sighed.

 

“Chairman, please try to understand the situation at hand.”

 

He turned away.

 

“If that’s all, I’ll take my leave. We’re also very busy with everything going on.”

 

Something seemed to suddenly stir concern from Kaien.

 

“We have to go, Jinmu-kun!” 

 

“Did something happen?” Akatsuki was confused. Perhaps he was wearing an ear piece, though it was unusual for hunters to do so.

 

“Yes, one of the patrolling hunters has disappeared.”

 

* * *

 

“Well, please don’t be mistaken you two, it’s not as though she cannot afford to hire servants. Sara-san simply likes for me to be her personal slave.” 

 

Takuma said it as though it were nothing, as though it were normal.

 

“She made you prepare all that tea stuff for her?” Senri was suspicious.

 

“Her whimsicality could rival that of a certain someone.” It seemed Rima was, too.

 

The pair watched Takuma flittering around and gave each other a look of concern.

 

“Ichijou-san, if you were okay why didn’t you come back, or at least contact us?” Senri asked in a gentler tone than usual.

 

“Yeah, we were worried for you.” Rima agreed. 

 

Takuma gave them a sheepish smile.

 

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t really take the risk of making the wrong move. I can’t read through her thoughts well enough to know why she has imprisoned me.”

 

This had the exact opposite of the desired effect on the worried pair.

 

“Imprisoned you?!” 

 

“She imprisoned you, Ichijou-san?!” 

 

“No, no! It’s fine!” 

 

“Did she abuse or hurt you so you’d obey her?!” 

 

“It wasn’t like that!” 

 

He sighed, but the calm smile remained on his face.

 

“She’s just capricious and short tempered, that’s all. But, she also has her cute sides!” 

 

They were dumbfounded, to say the least.

 

“Shiki, do you think he is being controlled by some Pureblood power or something? That much foolish carelessness is _too_ much.” 

 

“Nah, I just think she has him wrapped around her finger. I just hope he doesn’t fall in love with her.” 

 

Takuma’s nervous laughter drew their attention back to him.

 

“This really is a bad habit of yours, Ichijou-san.” 

 

“I don’t see what’s so bad about it.” 

 

He cast his eyes to the floor.

 

“Sorry. I’m sorry I caused so much worry.” 

 

Senri took his hand.

 

“Ichijou-san, if she’s not threatening you or forcing you to stay, let’s just go.”

 

He tugged slightly.

 

“How about you come to at least greet the Dorm President? You and him are such close friends, after all.” 

 

Takuma pulled his hand away, chuckling nervously.

 

“Nah, sorry but I’ll stay with Sara-san. I’m sorry.”

 

Feeling somewhat defeated, the pair got ready to leave.

 

“Don’t tell me that, you and him are still dwelling on that issue between you two over a year ago?” 

 

He laughed again.

 

“Maybe it would be easier for me to leave it at that rather than explain all of it. I just want to leave things the way they are for a bit longer. Besides, Yuuki-chan has finally returned to Kaname’s side after all those years apart, I really don’t want to disturb them right now.” 

 

The glow in his expression faded.

 

“The truth is, during those ten years I spent next to Kaname, I watched him agonising from having lost Yuuki as if he’d lost part of himself. It changed the way I viewed Purebloods. Maybe it’s that way because they live almost eternally, but it also makes their suffering limitless and like a blaze in which they can cast themselves, forever burning down without respite.”

 

A memory seemed to enter his mind, for a hint of melancholy flitted across his features.

 

“Kaname was doing that to himself, burning inside and on like that. It was as if he was doing that to punish himself.” 

 

* * *

 

The trio ascended the stairs and went down a few winding corridors. Zero couldn’t help but feel uneasy, as though something was happening that he should be attending to elsewhere. 

 

“Kiryuu, we’re almost there, it’s the room over there. If it’s alright, I’d like to talk with you before you go in.”

 

“I have no interest in going in. I just came to escort Wakaba.” 

 

Hanabusa’s expression faltered. He sighed, exasperated, and then proceeded up the flight of steps with Yori, disappearing for a brief time into the room and hoping that Zero would wait for him to come back.

 

Once the pair were out of sight, Zero pulled up the sleeve that had been touched not long ago by Yuuki’s gloved hand. His veins were throbbing, practically protruding from his skin.

 

“Give me a break. Don’t start getting agitated now.” He hissed quietly to himself, gripping his arm tightly. He knew he should have prepared beforehand.

 

* * *

 

Yori had barely stepped into the room when she was enveloped in an almost crushing embrace by her dearest friend. The two laughed and began to chat about things that Hanabusa eagerly tuned out. Hastily, he excused himself and rushed out of the room just a bit too eagerly. 

 

He was relieved to see that Zero was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. 

 

Hanabusa made his way down the steps and around the side to a large, unassuming trunk. He opened it and took out a large bag. 

 

Zero frowned at him, his hand hovering over his gun out of instinct.

 

“Relax, it’s not anything that will harm you.” Hanabusa huffed, beckoning him over.

 

Reluctantly, Zero walked over. The mood changed, he could feel nerves radiating from Hanabusa’s body.

 

“Kiryuu, you must not show this to anyone. I can’t say too much, there are eyes and ears everywhere. I just know that there is a book in this bag that Kaname-sama does not want Yuuki to read. I…I trust whatever you find in there will encourage you to do right by her.” 

 

He eyed the bag suspiciously, but Hanabusa’s lowered, sincere tone of voice convinced him that he was being genuine. He took the bag from the blonde, visibly seeing his shoulders relax in some sort of relief at him doing so. 

 

“Thank you.”

 

A shock of bright hair caught Hanabusa’s eye and he glanced up. Akatsuki had emerged from the corridor upstairs and was turning towards the drawing room.

 

“I have to go, please hurry and leave.”

 

“I have a job to do.”

 

Hanabusa looked at the teen incredulously, but didn’t have time to argue with him. He left him by the trunk and ran up the stairs to find out what was going on. 

 

Curiosity piqued, Zero walked down a corridor and let himself into a spare room. He opened the bag to see the book, bulky and worn, taking up almost all of the room. Wedged all around the book, almost like a shield, were what appeared to be envelopes containing letters. He carefully took one out.

 

_Zero Kiryuu_

 

He knew that handwriting well. It was Yuuki’s.

 


	18. The Beginning of the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akatsuki gives Hanabusa disturbing news, which he relays to Yuuki and Yori. Determined to protect her friend and keep order, Yuuki attempts to take matters into her own hands. However, she finds obstacles in her path that she cannot overcome. As a crime scene is uncovered, the 'game' and the banquet draw to a close. Sara makes a shocking confession to Takuma. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 55 & 56.

 

Thankfully, Akatsuki hadn’t entered the room. The door was left slightly ajar, enabling him to see that Hanabusa was not in the room with the girls. When he saw the blonde rush up the stairs, he gave him a disapproving look.

 

“Kaname-sama gave you orders.”

 

“I know, I wasn’t far! I just needed to check the proximity to be sure it was clear.” He lied smoothly.

 

“Well, there’s something you need to know.”

 

* * *

 

Yuuki’s eyes immediately met Hanabusa’s as he entered the room. He looked slightly disturbed by something, it troubled her.

 

“What happened?” She asked, keeping her arms protectively around her friend.

 

“The other Pureblood Lord that should be at the party, Ouri-sama, disappeared from his drawing room earlier.” 

 

_Ouri-sama?_

 

“That is…” Yuuki trailed off, suddenly catching a fresh scent in the air.

 

“Huh?” 

 

“Yuuki?” Yori couldn’t help but feel the room was colder than before.

 

“There’s a smell of blood suddenly, but where?” 

 

“The smell of blood, you say?” 

 

Yuuki looked at her friend, who glanced around the room and sniffed.

 

“Hmm. I’m sorry, I can’t help with that. I can’t smell it at all.” She said mournfully.

 

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry for worrying you with that.” Yuuki smiled at her friend.

 

Yori had taken enough risks for one night, she needed to go back to the world of humans, that much Yuuki was certain of. She suddenly felt determined to protect her friend.

 

“Aidou-senpai, I’ll go check out what’s going on. It’s unusual for this to happen at a party watched over by the Hunter Association. So please stay here by Yori-chan and protect her.” 

 

Before Yuuki could get to the door, however, she was stopped by a large encasing of ice that appeared out of seemingly nowhere, wrapping her body in its cold embrace.

 

“Yuuki!” 

 

“Kaname-sama has asked me not to leave your side no matter what.” Hanabusa said calmly, his hand raised upwards to stop Yori from approaching. 

 

Yuuki scowled over her shoulder, feeling overwhelmingly frustrated and belittled. 

 

“Is that so?” She muttered under her breath, clenching her fists. 

 

The ice shattered bit by bit, her powers resisting Hanabusa’s encasing. 

 

“Well, in that case, both of you come with me! It’s not far from here, from what I can tell!” 

 

* * *

 

The swell of music and chattering voices did little to hide the commotion taking place in corridors and balconies upstairs. Kaname surveyed the unfolding scenes with dark eyes.

 

“By the way, Sara, you wouldn’t happen to have done something to Ouri-sama, from whom you were feeding from earlier, would you?” 

 

Sara scoffed at the notion.

 

“What right have you to ask me such a crude question, I wonder? We haven’t seen each other for a while, so of course it would be rather depressing if nothing intimate happened. Although I’ll admit that he rarely deigns to pay me much attention, as he still views me as a mere little girl.”

 

With a smirk, she licked her lips, then continued in a lowered tone. 

 

“Are you worried about a different type of “something”? If that’s what you’re thinking, you needn’t worry. You of all people should know better than anyone just how difficult such a thing is to do, particularly against another Pureblood, shouldn’t you?” 

 

Her presence on the chessboard was becoming abundantly clear, and Kaname knew she was also one to play dirty.

 

Meanwhile, in an obscure room beneath a white tablecloth, Akatsuki and Ruka discovered a form composed of glass and dust.

 

* * *

 

Yuuki bolted towards the scent filled room, Hanabusa and Yori in tow, his hand clamped around her wrist. Instinctively, Hanabusa stopped Yori from walking any further, protectively shielding her with his arm.

 

“Wakaba, stop, don’t get any closer.”

 

Yuuki stopped, as though frozen in place. Realising how it looked, she spared an unconvincing smile for the pair.

 

“It’s okay, please just wait out here for a while, okay?” 

 

When her eyes returned back to the sight in front of her, however, the true horror on her face revealed itself. The tip of her shoe touched the pooling of blood and her heart thumped in her chest at the smell.

 

Finally noticing her presence, Kaien lit up with an awkward smile.

 

“Oh, hey Yuuki! Uhm, please stay over there, your dress will get dirty!” 

 

He was sweating, she could hear his heart beating from across the room.

 

“What happened?” 

 

Kaien sighed.

 

“A truly regrettable occurrence. Apparently one of our hunters fell into a condition where her only option was to take her own life with her weapon.”

 

Kaien pointed to the victim’s hand, which was wrapped around the dagger she’d plunged into her chest.

 

“See? She’s starting to turn to ashes, starting from the tips of her fingers and…” he trailed off, closing his eyes.

 

Kaito cleared his throat.

 

“On her neck, you can see vampire bite marks.” 

 

Yuuki trembled, especially when she saw the look on Kaito’s face. The hatred she felt emanating from his body was far beyond anything she’d ever felt, even from someone like Zero. 

 

Casting her eyes back to the body, her heart sank. Why did this have to happen now? Is this a target on hunters? Is this a message? What happened in that year when she was left in the dark for this to occur? She gripped her dress tightly.

“I will definitely find out who was responsible.” 

 

Kaito almost rolled his eyes.

 

“Stay out of this, lion cub. You’ve no business meddling here. Go back to your fancy dresses and makeup.”

 

“I will not! I am no longer Yuuki Cross, a powerless human with no knowledge of this world. I will do what is right by my loved ones, I will protect them! No matter what!”

 

“Yuuki.” The voice startled her. “You should get back to the room before the scent of blood affects you.” 

 

She looked at Kaname with a pleading gaze.

 

“But the party is-”

 

“I think we all know that farce of a party is over by now.” Kaito coldly interjected, glaring at the two Purebloods. 

 

Kaname ignored Kaito’s remarks.

 

“That’s my job, Yuuki. You do not have to take part in this.”

 

Yuuki frowned at him, frustrated and undermined. He gave her a strange, cool look and she felt a different energy in her body that had her moving obediently. Soon, she found herself being silently ushered out of the building and bundled into a car. Hanabusa sat with her, his head bowed, and neither spoke for the whole journey home.

 

* * *

 

The car was moving far too fast for Takuma’s liking, almost as though they were in a hurry to leave the scene. He turned to Sara, who was wrapped in her fur and appeared to be dozing. It was clear to him that she wasn’t, though.

 

“Sara-san, are you sure it’s fine for us to ignore everybody in charge and just go home?”

 

She seemed to ignore him, so he pressed further.

 

“All that agitation at the ball, you wouldn’t happen to have done anything bad when you went wandering off on your own earlier, would you?” 

 

A groan escaped her lips.

  
“Just shut up already, would you?” Her trembling fingers pressed against the glass of the window.

 

Takuma watched in shock as the window began melting around her hand. She clawed at it, tearing a hole and allowing fresh, night air into the car.

 

“Sara-san! What’s wrong?” He reached for her with concern as she slumped against the window.

 

Her eyes pierced into his, glowing an eerie crimson.

 

“I have devoured Ouri-sama’s life.”


	19. Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara reveals both the details of her shocking crime and also her motive to Takuma. Meanwhile, Yuuki is unconvinced that Ouri's death was a suicide. Hanabusa is confronted by Yuuki on what knowledge he may have shared with Kaname about her discoveries in the manor's library. Surprise guests at the manor reminds Yuuki of how lonely and different she really is. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 56.

 

He was speechless, his eyes widened in total dismay. Sara seemed to take pleasure in this.

 

“Well, I couldn’t possibly miss out on such a rare occasion with all these hunters prowling around, all of them carrying weapons capable of taking away his regenerative abilities. Of course, they wouldn’t be so kind as to simply do what I say, so I had to catch one and make her my servant for the task. After all, we can’t touch their weapons, so I couldn’t do it myself, could I?”

 

She licked her lips, remembering the taste of blood and the feeling of terror emanating from the hunter’s body. 

 

“Oh yes, and then the unsuspecting Ouri-sama invited me to his room…no, that isn’t quite true, Ouri-sama did know what was coming.”

 

Her fingers drifted to her lips, where she had given him just one kiss goodbye before he was attacked.

 

“He didn’t even fight us, nor did he show any surprise when it happened. All I had to do afterwards was order the hunter I made my servant to go someplace quiet and put an end to her own life. That was it.” 

 

“Would you please answer me if I ask why you would do such a thing? Ouri-sama was your-”

 

“That man had grown very weary of his terribly long life since quite some time ago, Takuma. His life now mostly consisted of just idly waiting for the day when it would finally all end. Would you believe me if I told you he confessed that to me in secret, I wonder?”

 

Takuma felt his words catch in his throat. Yes, he could believe that, because he had seen that sort of despair firsthand. For the sake of his friend, it was a secret he still had to keep from her.

 

“A Pureblood deprived of any strong attachment is a truly sad sight, wouldn’t you agree?” She giggled.

 

After a few moments, she turned her head away.

 

“I don’t want to become like Ouri-sama.” She said softly, so softly he almost could not hear her.

 

“I do not want to lose the will to live, like Shizuka did, or Haruka-sama and Juri-sama.” 

 

He swallowed as her mood turned once again, as quickly as it had softened it was masked by a sinister aura.

 

“That’s also why I spent all this time playing the nice girl in front of the vampire council, because I knew they had Rido-sama secretly working with them. That’s also why it is out of the question for me to take the foolish risks Rido-sama did, when he went for such a checkmate just to have fun testing out his power…because you know what?” 

 

Her smile sent chills down his spine.

 

“Someday, mark my words, I will be Queen.”

 

“Do you think Kaname will let you do such a thing?” 

 

She giggled.

 

“Oh, he won’t want me to do it, of course. He does hold the throne, after all. He even confessed to you that he was the ancestor, and all…”

 

Takuma didn’t say anything. She twirled a curl around her fingers.

 

“If that’s true, and if I were Kaname-san, I would let the offending party be at first. But I would not forgive the person, of course, and as soon as that person incurred my wrath for good, I would crush them. I wonder if he would react like that, too.” 

 

* * *

 

“So you’re saying it was all an elaborate suicide committed by Ouri-sama?” 

 

“Yeah, the investigation came to the conclusion that Ouri-sama killed himself by turning that hunter into a vampire to make her strike the killing blow, since he couldn’t do that himself. Afterwards, the hunter killed herself. It was just announced.” 

 

Yuuki was surprised by the conclusion. It wasn't something the hunters would be happy with. In fact, it’s not something anyone should be happy with. For him to decide to commit suicide on that day, there and then, and dragging innocent people into it too - Ouri had never been painted to her as that sort of person.

 

“The Hunter Association is pretty angry, but it’s no wonder.” Hanabusa sighed, echoing her thoughts.

 

“I would wonder if they would question whether it was really a suicide, or maybe suspect other people of killing him? At least I would understand.”

 

“Yeah, apparently they theorised initially that another Pureblood took control of the hunter and had her kill Ouri-sama. That theory made all Purebloods at the party potential suspects. But which of the Purebloods would have anything to gain by trying to attack Ouri-sama?”

 

Hanabusa placed a book down on the table, presumably for studying, but Yuuki wasn’t done with the conversation.

 

“Well, yes, but…” 

 

She didn’t know what to say. How could something like that be resolved so quickly, so simply? It didn’t even make sense.

 

“Well, I can tell you one thing for sure.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Even now, you still don’t understand much of our society! I allowed you to use the library in your own time, did you really not make use of the books? You’re like a toddler stumbling around in an unknown world! You shouldn’t go thinking you can just barge into situations like that, thinking you can make differences like a grown up!” 

 

Yuuki glowered at the desk.

 

“I realise that I don’t know much. I want to grow up as fast as I can. I need to work harder.” 

 

She swallowed.

 

“Aidou-senpai, I didn’t want to accuse you of things that you may have no part in, but…”

 

“What is it?” 

 

“Kaname-senpai knew that I had access to the library, that I found the room. You took those books from me, the way you looked at me when I mentioned that room...it’s connected, isn’t it? Those books, they contain things I’m not supposed to know, don’t they? That room, the one I couldn't get in, there's something hidden in there, right? Did you…did you tell Kaname-senpai that I had those books? Did you tell him about me finding that room?” 

 

Hanabusa paused, then sighed deeply.

 

“No, I didn’t tell him. The truth is, I-”

 

“Wait.”

 

Yuuki turned away from the desk, her whole body alert.

 

“There are more people outside.”

 

“What, again?!”

 

The blonde barged past and went to the front door. He pulled the doors open, huffing and puffing with thinly concealed annoyance. Seiren was stood on guard at the door, nothing in her features betrayed any emotions she felt.

 

“Please forgive me, but Yuuki-sama is not accepting visitors. So we ask kindly for you to take your leave.”

 

“Oh, but I just wanted to salute her!”  


 

“I just wanted to give her a present!”

 

“Hey, Aidou-san, are you planning on shooing us away too?”

 

It was Rima and Senri.

 

“Oh! You two are both here, too?” 

 

Seiren glanced at Hanabusa disapprovingly. 

 

“I mean, we were asked not to let anyone come in before Kaname-sama returns.”

 

“You’re the worst type of suck up.” Rima scoffed.

 

“Yeah, man, to think we all used to eat together. You’re cruel.” Senri agreed.

 

A gentle tapping on Hanabusa’s shoulder caught his attention. Yuuki stood behind the other door, looking sheepish. 

 

“Please make an exception just for them!”

 

“Wh- you!!” _Seriously, this girl!_

 

“If someone has to take the blame, I’ll do it.” 

 

She peered around the door at the visitors, who all stared at her with awe.

 

“Thank you for visiting despite our home being so far in the mountains, however the household is currently busy so I won’t be able to receive you.” 

 

Her soft voice and glittering smile seemed to work, and the visitors soon cleared off.

 

“Come on in, Shiki-senpai, Touya-senpai! You’re my first visitors since I moved back here.” 

 

The pair exchanged glances.

 

“Well, that’s no wonder considering you guys live shut-in and deep in the woods like this.”

 

“It’s practically house arrest.”

 

Yuuki chuckled nervously. 

 

“No, no! I’m used to it.”

 

The looks they then gave each other told Yuuki her answer only proved their point further.

 

“Um, please make yourselves at home in the living room. I’ll go and prepare some tea.”

 

“Ah, you really don’t have to bother.” Shiki said.

 

“Wait, you don’t have to make the tea yourself!” Hanabusa spluttered.

 

Rima tilted her head to the side and hummed.

 

“Hey, prefect, were you always the type to wear pin heels? The image I had of you wasn’t that of someone who wore shoes that are hard to run around in.” 

 

“Huh?” Yuuki stopped in her tracks, letting the words sink in as a flustered blush spread across her cheeks.

 

She turned away again, hiding her embarrassment.

 

“I’ll go make the tea right now!” 

 

“Wait, you really don’t have to bother with that. I just came to give you a message from Ichijou-san, actually.” 

 

Yuuki looked at Senri over her shoulder, surprised at the mention of Takuma’s name.

 

“He said ‘ _I know it’s not always easy, but please take good care of Kaname._ ’ That’s all.”

 

She blinked.

 

“Well, he hadn’t asked me to come all the way here.” Senri continued, “it was more of a simple ‘tell her if you get the chance’, but I came anyway because I realised that Ichijou-san was worried for the two of you.” 

 

“Shiki, let’s leave, this place is not unrelated to your father, so I don’t want to spend much time here.” Rima said, reaching for his arm. 

 

“Well, we’ll be going. Sorry for the brief visit.”

 

“Let’s go, we can drop by your mother’s place.”

 

The pair turned to leave.

 

“Uhm, prefect.” Senri glanced over his shoulder at Yuuki, who held an expression of clear hurt.

 

“Please don’t think that I refused the tea because I don’t like you or anything, okay? Please don’t make that face, to have that added to the memory of Rido makes it worse. I much prefer you have that carefree look you had when you invited us in. See you around, cousin.”

 

Yuuki and Hanabusa watched the pair leave, neither saying anything to the other.


	20. The Unscrupulous Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takuma finds himself roped into Sara's seemingly bizarre schemes, as she begins to weave her dangerous web in the quest to become Queen. However, her movements have not gone unnoticed by the hunters, especially not by Zero.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 58.

 

Takuma didn’t know what Sara was up to, but he felt increasingly uneasy. A short, portly woman with cheerful features greeted them at the gates of what he could tell was a school.

 

“Welcome to Dahlia Academy Girls School! I received the introduction letter from the Mayor, shall we start with a guided tour of the school grounds?”

 

The pair followed her as she idly chatted, gesturing to various things as she walked.

 

“I heard that you’ve suffered from ill health for a while, so if you do end up enrolling you’ll most likely have classmates younger than yourself. Our school is good at helping students catch up, so you have nothing to worry about, Miss Sara Ichijou.” 

 

“Thank you for your kindness, Rector.” 

 

“I see that girl schools don’t have an age limit then.” Takuma chirped.

 

“What do you mean? If your sister is under 18, she should still be within the right age to join.” 

 

Sara stomped her heel straight into Takuma’s foot, crushing it in deep so he’d suffer more.

 

“What were you saying, Oniisama?” She purred questioningly.

 

“No, nothing at all.” He managed, wincing.

 

The woman didn’t seem to take much notice, perhaps chalking it down to typical sibling behaviour.

 

“If you turn this way you’ll get to the auditorium, to the left is the library. Shall we go take a look at the dorms, first?” 

 

“Oh yes, I would love to!” 

 

The pair walked behind the merry woman, heels clicking against the floor.

 

“Just what are you planning to do here? I can’t believe you said you wanted to go to a school suddenly.” Takuma hissed quietly.

 

“It’s just curiosity.” She replied calmly.

 

“Is that really true?”

 

A group of schoolgirls were clustered together at the end of the hallway. They greeted the woman with smiles.

  
“Oh Rector, how are you doing?”

 

“Hello there! I’m doing great, my darlings.”

 

One particular girl of average height with blonde, braided hair blushed as she laid eyes on Sara.

 

“Hi.” She smiled sheepishly.

 

“Hi, pleased to meet you.” Sara replied, her eyes draping over the girl’s petite form.

 

When they passed by, the girls began to whisper amongst each other excitedly.

 

“Wow, did you see how gorgeous she was?”

 

“Yes, so beautiful!”

 

“And the gentleman with her, too!” 

 

The woman noticed Sara peering over her shoulder.

 

“The three “P” in our school are ‘politeness, purity and prettiness’!”

 

“Oh. They truly are all so very cute and young. Where is it that they are headed to?”

 

“Oh, it’s the direction of the individual music rooms. Our school is putting a lot of effort into our music section, also.” 

 

Takuma gazed down at Sara, who suddenly doubled over after a few moments, groaning.

 

“Oh no, Ichijou-san, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Would you like to go to the infirmary?” 

 

“I’m sorry, would you mind if I sat on this bench and rested for a while? Oniisama, please continue with the tour in my stead, so you can pass the explanations on to me later.” Her voice was meek, almost pathetic sounding.

 

“But-”

 

“Oniisama, we don’t have much time today so please go on without me. Unless you want to regret it later.” She added the last part in a hushed, warning tone. 

 

With a frustrated sigh, Takuma walked over to the woman and ushered her away.

 

“I’m sorry for this. If you don’t mind, could you show me a bit about the school’s crime prevention and security measures?”

 

“Well, yes, of course, but-”

 

“Oh, don’t worry, she will be fine in a second.”

 

Once they were out of sight, Sara made her move.

 

* * *

 

The girl with braids sat at the piano, adjusting her sheet music for playing, when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to see Sara, who regarded her with a polite smile.

 

“Hello again, would you mind if I came in to talk for a bit, I wonder?” 

 

She reached up and brushed her fingers along the girl’s neck, feeling her pulse thrum beneath her skin.

 

“You look like such a tasteful and meek lady, and so adorably cute as well. If I were to tell you that I’m a poor, lonely vampire with no friends at all, would you kindly believe me?”

 

* * *

 

Zero had been acting odd since the banquet, but no matter how Kaito pushed it, he couldn’t get anything out of the teen. It was frustrating. The pair patrolled together through the streets, surveying the area and keeping their hands close to their weapons.

 

Suddenly, Zero jolted.

 

“I can sense a vampire presence nearby.”

 

“Bingo! So the intel we got was true after all.”

 

Without hesitation, Zero jumped over the wall and almost flew down to the ground, landing with ease on his feet.

 

“I’ll go find our target and their intentions.” He called up.  
  
  
“Yeah, you do that.”

 

Kaito watched Zero run and had to wonder why he was suddenly so determined. Was it just dedication to the job, or the hope of being repaid with the blood of his prey?

 

* * *

 

Elsewhere, fresh blood was spilled, chased away with chaste kisses and hot tongues to soft flesh. The girl, who Sara found out was called Yukari, giggled as Sara dragged her tongue up her finger, her eyes glowing as they bored into hers. Overwhelmed, she wrapped her arms around the older woman, who held her in her embrace with a satisfied smirk. 

 

After some time, she left the music room holding hands with Yukari. At this point, her friends had also joined her and had received the same treatment by Sara. They walked her to the entrance of the school and waved her goodbye. She opened her parasol and went off in search of Takuma.

 

Waiting for her, however, was Zero. He had a hungry, animalistic look in his eyes and a cold smirk on his lips, his hand reached for his gun.

 

She tutted as she passed him, vacant of all sense of unease.

 

“Oh, too bad. You are just a dog for the Hunter Association, so you’ll have to stop right there. See, I did everything by the rules. I revealed my identity before biting them, had their consent, and even shared my own blood. I pledged to care for all of them until the end, so you hunters have no authority to execute any of us. Find another target.” 

 

She gazed up at him with a cattish smile.

 

“You know, I can see it in your eyes, just how much you’re burning to kill. It seems that no one, not even you, has realised yet that your whole body reeks of pure vampire blood.” 

 

The widening of his eyes betrayed his emotions.

 

“I don’t know how much blood the Kurans gave you, but…oh, you poor thing, they’ve eventually thrown you away, haven't they? If one of these days you find yourself with nowhere to go, I wouldn’t mind taking in an abandoned dog, what do you say _little dog_?”

 

Frustrated, he ran his hands through his hair.

 

“Just disappear, Pureblood. Don’t piss me off even more.”


	21. Weaving Webs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaien visits an old friend who has awakened from his slumber. Meanwhile, Sara has created a harem of vampire girls and uses Takuma once again to further her scheming. This time, however, her schemes may just take a very dangerous turn.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 58 & 65.

 

Kaien hadn’t visited the home of Isaya Shoto for what he knew to be a very long time indeed. However, upon hearing his friend had recently awakened from his slumber, he felt the visit was crucial.

 

He stirred his tea slowly, recounting the past ten years in the simplest way he could to the Pureblood, who was regarding him with curious, if not amused eyes.

 

“How homely. I absolutely can’t imagine you raising a child for ten years, given how I know the way you used to be. I wonder if she has the smell of the sun the way her mother did.” 

 

The man stared down at his own cup of tea.

 

“Did you do it because you wanted to find a place for yourself, as someone who is neither human nor vampire, or because you believed somehow it would break that curse? You sure did kill absolutely terrible quantities of vampires back then.” 

 

Awkwardly, Kaien pushed his glasses up his nose.

 

“When I first met you, Kaien,” Isaya continued, “I thought ‘ _this man will surely become a mere spectator on the sidelines someday, like me_ ’. I guess I was wrong, for once.”

 

“It happened because I felt that I did manage to make a difference in things after all. I got the impression different times, until eventually I was convinced to go for it. But this was a subject on which not even Pureblood vampires would have been knowledgeable, there was no way I could have known beforehand.” 

 

It was bittersweet to think about his Academy, one he tried desperately to restore from the ruins after the battle.

 

“I thought that if what I was attempting to do managed to make ripples on the surface, then…”

 

“Indeed, and that girl grew up watching your example. I wouldn’t even have the idea of attempting to make ripples on anything. After all, my wife turned our offspring into humans early on, and said offspring has since grown old and passed away. I have become nothing more than a spectator.”

 

Mournfully, the Pureblood sighed.

 

“I have too much time, but no purpose, and so I do nothing at all. It’s a common occurrence for Purebloods.”

 

“Isaya-sama.” A maid bowed in greeting.

 

“Oh yes, please wait a moment longer.”

 

“No, don’t let me delay you any longer. I’m the one who interrupted when you were about to have your first meal in fifty years. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave. I just knew your alarm clock would ring soon, so I dropped by to say ‘Hi’ and warn you about various things.”

 

He reached out and patted Isaya’s shoulder comfortingly.

 

“The hunters are in uproar over the incident with Ouri-san, so don’t go making matters even more troublesome by screwing up somewhere or anything, that’s all!”

 

Kaien headed to the door, a cheery smile on his face.

 

“Bye bye! And clear up that sleepy face of yours!” 

 

“In other words ‘don’t cause any trouble’, huh? In a way, hunters are like school prefects.” He mused.

 

“Isaya-sama.”

 

“Oh, yes I’m ready.”

 

He cupped her cheek in his hand and gazed down at her with lustful red eyes.

 

“I gratefully receive your blood and the fifty years of memories that have accumulated in it.”

 

* * *

 

“Miss Sara, Miss Sara! Look at this gift that was delivered to you, it’s beautiful!”

 

“Miss Sara, that jasmine tea you really liked, I brewed it perfectly for you!”

 

“Miss…Miss Sara?”

 

She cupped the girl’s face, her favourite girl with the braids.

 

“It’s alright, my love. Here’s that kiss that you wished for.” She pressed her lips to hers, hearing the girl’s heart fluttering in her chest.

 

“Miss Sara, are you going to let the classmate in the girl’s dorm into our group?”

 

She smiled pleasantly.

  
“That’s right, I’ve also got to ask them whether or not they’ll let her join. It’s going to be fine, since that guy’s doing all the hard work for me. Isn’t that right, Mr Watchdog?” 

 

Takuma sighed, annoyed.

 

“Not that again.”

 

The girls bombarded him in squeezes and cuddles.

 

“Takuma-sama!”

  
  
“Takuma-sama, please!”

 

“Takuma-sama!”

 

“Please leave me be. Miss Sara, you know what the rumours floating about the nobles are like. Everyone thinks that Mr Ouri started to reach out and do charity for the ‘reverse’ society, befitting the names of Purebloods that he belongs to. The problem is that they say ‘he actually wanted to make a Garden of Desire harem’. People are actually buying these poor jokes.”

 

Sara pouted, now surrounded by her fawning girls.

 

“I wish you could just tell me you pity me, a woman who lost her fiancé in a world of loneliness.”

 

“The Mr Ouri lying in your arms was a different, more submissive person, Miss Sara.”

 

“Miss Sara, why is Takuma-sama angry at you? Is it because what Miss Sara is doing is a bad thing?”

 

“Oh, of course not.” Sara giggled. 

 

“You girls wanted time to flow more slowly, I only responded to that. I can’t blame even the hunters for wanting a mutually signed treaty.As long as we keep our own end of the contract, I doubt we’ll have anything to worry about.”

 

She clapped her hands and stood up.

 

“Now girls, I’m getting in the car. The shade curtains have been put up in the classrooms so you may return to your dormitories. I have some business to take care of.”

 

“Miss Sara, you’ll come back to play again won’t you?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Miss Sara, please teach us some more next time you come.”

 

“I’m happy to oblige. What a group of cute children you are.”

 

* * *

 

“Welcome, Mr Takuma.” 

 

Takuma and Sara entered the small room, where the greeting was given by an older man with slicked back greying hair.

 

“Since I last met you at the personnel conference after my grandfather retired, have you grown suited to your new post?” 

 

“Yeah, I’m handling it alright.”

 

“The message from the last President, whom I’d previously spoken with, was - in speaking terms, to collect blood for the development of new tablets and medicines.”

 

“So…Purebloods…”

 

“Yes, this is Miss Sara Shirabuki. Miss Sara, this is the current CEO of the pharmacy company whom my grandfather revived.” 

 

“Thank you Takuma, you can go home now.” 

 

Astonished, he looked at the blonde, who was stood with a calm smile on her face.

 

“But Miss Sara-”

 

“No ‘buts’, hurry along now.”

 

“No, I can’t leave you two to yourselves. Not only for Miss Sara Shirabuki, but also for the President’s-”

 

“ _Takuma_.” 

 

Her eyes pierced into his.

 

“You’re getting in the way, go home.”

 

* * *

 

Outside the building of the girl’s school, the group of hunters had their suspicions confirmed.

 

“Oi, report back to the association.” Jinmu barked. 

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

The older man, who had a scar across his face, glared up at the building.

 

“Just what are you planning, vampire?”


	22. A Scandalous History Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki and Hanabusa face Kaname's wrath after allowing Rima and Senri into the manor. Tensions between Kaname and Yuuki reach boiling point, prompting Kaname to make a fateful decision, and leaving Yuuki scared and confused in the aftermath. Meanwhile, Zero begins to unravel the truth within the pages of the strange book he was given.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 57 & 67.

 

“Anything else?” 

 

The aura in the room was so dark it could almost be seen, Yuuki felt goosebumps on her skin from the cold air in a room that was usually stuffy. It had been a few days, but it seemed a punishment still awaited them upon Kaname’s return.

 

“How many times did I ask you not to open the door to anyone while I’m out, and yet you two are like the piggy and the baby goat from those fairytales, who open the door to wolves regardless of how much they were told not to do it. I wonder what punishment you two might have been hoping for.” 

 

Yuuki could practically feel Hanabusa shivering next to her. She couldn’t take this.

 

“If you were so fixated on locking me away, you shouldn’t have bothered introducing me to the vampire society!” 

 

“Would you really have preferred if we had done it that way? I would have gladly done so, if I could, but I wouldn’t have been able to.” 

 

_Not after the stunt I pulled,_ she mentally added, trying not to roll her eyes.

 

“No, I wouldn’t have.”

 

Kaname leaned into his hand, watching the pair kneeling on the floor with what she could only describe as amusement. He was enjoying his power trip.

 

“Oh, I know just what to do. Since you want to study so much, I’ll be the one to teach you right now. I’ll help you learn quite a lot of things.”

 

She shuddered.

 

“As for Aidou, his punishment will be to count the exact number of chickpeas in the entirety of our pantry and to report back with the number. Please see to it that he counts them all.” 

 

Seiren grabbed Hanabusa by the collar and pulled him up with brute force, pushing him out of the room despite his protests.

 

Once the door closed, Kaname gestured for Yuuki to come closer. Reluctantly, she stood and stepped forward, allowing him to reach up and thread his fingers through her hair.

 

“Yuuki, I cannot stop you from going into the outside world. I understand that sitting like a doll in a case is not who you are.”

 

“I feel like that’s who you want me to be, though.”

 

He closed his eyes.

 

“I will confess that I sometimes do desire to keep you away from the rest of the world and have you just for myself. Please understand my reasons, Yuuki, that this part of me finds an outlet in having you wear delicate shoes and not cut your hair. I am sorry, but please let me just impose these whims on you.” 

 

She watched as he played with her hair, recalling the events of the party, recalling what Rima had said to her just days before that had played in her mind ever since.

 

“I feel undermined, like I’m still a child to you. Even Aidou-senpai said I’m like a toddler.”

 

“Yuuki-”

 

“Please just let me talk.” She moved away so he couldn’t touch her hair any longer. He frowned and folded his arms, but said nothing further.

 

“I don’t want to be kept in the dark any longer. I don’t want to feel like a child, or a doll in a case. I’m no good at being a perfect lady with grace and etiquette, I’m tired of being inside when I just want to be out there with everyone else. There’s so much going on and it’s not right for me, especially as royalty, to be sitting pretty in here!” 

 

“I understand that, but this is for your own safety. I promise that you will be allowed outside more and more eventually.”

 

She balled her hands into fists at her side.

 

“That’s not enough for me. It’s been a year now, I proved at the banquet that I’m capable, I proved before then that I’m capable. I don’t want to have to get permission to live my own life anymore! There’s more to life than just sitting and reading books, I want to experience things, I want to learn firsthand. Doesn’t it concern you that there are so few Purebloods left? Do you really think Ouri-sama would have committed suicide in such a way?”

 

His composure didn’t shift in the slightest, even as she ranted.

 

“It is true that there are fewer Purebloods left. As you know from history, your great grandfather was the King at one point to put an end to the war. By then, lots of Purebloods had been killed in the fighting effort.”

 

“Yes, it is as you said, but this is from history that spans over thousands of years. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about now, in the present day.” 

 

“Ouri-sama,” he continued, “like other Purebloods, of which there are fewer than 33 left, wanted to die. They ceased having the will to have children, to live on for even their loved ones. They thought their existence defeated the passing of time, but in truth time had won in the end. For a long time, I felt the same way.” 

 

She frowned.

 

“So that’s just it, then? You truly believe he would commit suicide and harm an innocent in the process?”

 

“What would you like me to tell you, Yuuki?” 

 

“The truth. I didn’t want to leave that party, I wanted to stay and help. I was compelled to leave against my will, as though my body was being moved on its own. Why is that?”

 

He didn’t answer.

 

“You keep telling me to be myself, but every time I try to do just that I feel like I’m shot down. You keep saying it’s for my safety, but I was once a weak human who managed even despite everything that was thrown at me. Are you really protecting me for me, or are you protecting me to make up for who you couldn’t protect in the past?”

 

“ _Yuuki_.” The tone in his voice told her she was treading on thin ice, it should have scared her but it just confirmed she was on the right track, for once.

 

“Sometimes I’m not even sure if you like me, you can be so gentle and kind, but then you can also be evil, you lie and hide so many things from me. I-”

 

He grabbed her wrists, she didn’t even realise he had stood up.

 

“I like you, Yuuki.” He leaned in towards her neck, but she struggled.

 

“Then when will I ever feel like I’m equal to you?” She whimpered.

 

She felt his breath on her neck, but he didn’t do anything. He leaned back up, cupping her face in his hands, and stared at her hard.

 

“You’re right, Yuuki.” He said, finally, “I have been very cruel and unfair to you. For all of this time, something was growing inside, and despite my hesitance it seems I won’t find peace until the task at hand is complete.” 

 

“What are you saying?” 

 

“I must leave.”

 

* * *

  
“You’re going out, again?” She felt frustrated tears prick her eyes, _why does he do this?_

 

“I have to.”

 

“Can’t you just stay? You can drink my blood to your heart’s content, I know you’ve been thirsting. We can even sit and snuggle, I’ll read to you like I did as a child. Please just stay.” 

 

“Are you saying this because you want me to stay, or because you’re afraid of what I’ll do if I leave?” 

 

Her eyes widened.

 

“I can’t hesitate any longer. Yuuki, please don’t hesitate either.” 

 

She helplessly watched as he turned into a flock of bats. Desperately, she reached out.

 

“Please don’t go!” 

 

* * *

 

Exhausted, Zero sank down onto his bed. He glanced over at his pillow and reached under it, taking out the small gun he had once given to Yuuki. It served to remind him of so many things, but most importantly it reminded him of the bag. 

 

After a moment of hesitation, Zero set aside the gun and reached under the bed. He dragged out the bag and opened it, pulling out the book and dropping it by the gun. Then, he lifted out wads of white letters, all of which it seemed were addressed to him.

 

Setting the letters down, he picked up the book and began to flick through it. He quickly noticed that there were some ear marks on certain pages, seemingly directing him to read its contents.

 

So he did. 

 

_Since the dawn of their time, Pureblood vampires have started, aided in and ended great wars, both within their own society and against humans. Humans found themselves defenceless against vampires, it seemed that no natural remedy would fend the creatures off. Therefore, Purebloods who seemed to sympathise with these humans began to run experiments of their own, in order to come up with a way to aid humans._

 

He knew this story well. Thousands of years ago, a Pureblood woman threw her heart into a furnace that was melting silver. Her sacrifice led to the creation of weapons, such as the Bloody Rose, which were capable of killing vampires. 

 

Tiredly, he skimmed over the story, but then a name caught his eye and he paused to read it.

 

_At the frontline of many wars following this was the first Ancestor of the Kuran clan, known to those in his close circle as Kaname. It is said that he had a special relationship with the Ancestress of the hunter lineage, and so he battled to fight his own grief for many years._

 

_Despite having a family of three children and a wife, the Kuran ancestor fell into a deep state of despair. He eventually became ruthless and cruel, obsessing over the weaponry left behind by his late lover and speaking of prophetic visions that were plaguing him. Eventually, his allies learned that he was plotting to eradicate Purebloods entirely, discovering books containing spells and research and evidence of a makeshift laboratory for experiments._

 

_Fearing a war to end all others and worried for the safety of her children, the Ancestress of the Kuran clan found a seer to assure her husband that one day he would meet the prophetic girl in his visions, but he had to go into slumber to do so. Although the Ancestor did go into slumber, a servant confessed that he believed the visions were a sign of madness and that he did not want to be awakened for all eternity. He lies in slumber in the Kuran crypt._

 

_The family sealed the crypt tightly, in fear that he may one day return to complete the duty set out in his mind._


	23. The Blade That Severs All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki rescues Hanabusa from his predicament. Takuma discovers the shocking extent of Sara's depraved plans, while Sara has set out with murder on her mind. However, it turns out she won't be the only murderer that day.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 65 & 67.

 

Seiren taking her leave suddenly was puzzling to Hanabusa, but he thought nothing of it. His mind was riddled with the mathematics of counting what seemed like an endless supply of chick peas, and he felt like he was slowly going insane. 

 

The door slammed open and Yuuki stood, breathless, in her outdoor clothing. Folded over her arm was his jacket.

 

“Aidou-senpai, please come with me!”

 

“Huh?!” 

 

Realising her opening the door with such force had knocked a pile of chickpeas onto the one he was counting, he practically screamed.

 

“We don’t have time, come on!” She dragged Hanabusa out of the manor as quickly as she possibly could.

 

“What are you doing?!”

 

“I have a feeling that I need to stay close to…to Kaname.”

 

_Something was wrong, she just knew it._

 

* * *

 

Takuma felt his stomach churn as he descended the stairs and walked into what looked like a makeshift dungeon, dingy and dark and filled with steel cages that contained innocent victims. Their hands reached for him, their voices desperate whines.

 

“Let us out! Let us out!”

 

“Miss Sara, quick!”

 

“Not this, let us out of this place!”

 

“Miss Sara, quickly let us out!” 

 

He ran his hand through his hair.

 

“Miss Sara, you can’t keep doing this.”

 

“Mr…Takuma?” A rough, masculine voice called out.

 

It was the pharmaceutical company President.

 

“Mr President!” Takuma cried, gripping the bars.

 

“I knew the dangers of crossing a Pureblood, I accidentally let my guard down. Soon I will become a vampire like everyone else here, a walking doll. Mr Takuma, you must stop Sara Shirabuki.”

 

Takuma felt his heart racing in his chest. He thought he was going to faint.

 

“She’s planning to use the information from my research to do horrible things. The rest of the prisoners are here to become obedient vampires that listen to her unfailingly.”

 

A figure appeared by the stairs. He knew it wasn’t Sara, despite it being her form, because she lacked her heartbeat.

 

“Even the promises of trust and cooperation from comrades will someday fall apart.” She said cryptically, spiders running up her skin.

 

“Breaking the contract without mutual agreements will make both sides armed to the teeth. That is what I want, for I have an army that is willing to sacrifice limb from limb for me.”

“So, those are the true words coming from a Devil such as yourself, I’ll give you that. But the mostsinful crime in the history of Purebloods has been committed by you. The Association will soon learn about this, and you do realise there are people in there of your level.”

 

Sara merely giggled.

 

“I see. He’s also a piece, huh? One piece takes the other and the last one wins, that’s how we bored Purebloods play the game.”

 

Just as she came, she left again in a pool of spiders.

 

* * *

 

The rumbling of a great force that dismantled the stone defences was so great it rocked the whole of the area. Out of the ashes and crumbling pieces came Sara, her fur coat lightly dusted.

 

“Ouri-sama, I’m grateful you gave me the power to break through the defences of Hanadagi-sama’s ‘castle’.”

 

She took a few steps forward, but then stopped.

 

“Hey, do you think disguising yourself and following me was a secret? Get out of here.” 

 

Reluctantly, Nagamichi stepped out from the shadows, but Sara didn’t turn to look at him.

 

“Well, Aidou-dono, come along with me.” 

 

He followed her quietly, an uneasy feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach. Helplessly he watched as she beat the guardian of the castle senselessly, leaving her crumpled in a heap on the floor.

 

“Don’t you dare disturb the sleep of my family’s masters!” She spat out, blood trickling from her lips.

 

Sara regarded her with amused eyes.

 

“Such a cute and dutiful guardian, it’s me who will feed him.” 

 

With little effort, she slid the lid of the coffin away, revealing the sleeping figure inside. 

 

“This is a Pureblood vampire who has been sleeping in this ‘castle of dreams’, the Head of the Hanadagi family. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

Her fingers traced along the dusty white sheet, stopping at a point to grip it.

 

“After Ouri-sama, you’re the next. You’re probably bored with this life, right?”

 

She let out what seemed like a small laugh once she’d pulled back the sheet.

 

“Well, I’m glad. So you are’t completely dried up.” 

 

Feeling Nagamichi’s worried eyes on her, she gave him her attention, a smile dancing on her lips and in her eyes.

 

“I thought if he’d been completely parched, I’d have to sacrifice some blood first, so I brought him something to eat.” 

 

She gestured with a nod to the guardian, who was breathing heavily and clutching at her abdomen.

 

“But there wasn’t any need for that, was there, Aidou-dono?”

 

“Everyone’s afraid, Sara-sama, please stop this! You shouldn’t be starting conflict amongst the Purebloods!” 

 

She paused.

 

“Indeed, many people will suffer. If you are that frightened it’s okay to go ‘underground’ and hide until it’s all over.” 

 

The guardian reached out helplessly as Sara leaned in towards Hanadagi’s sleeping form.

 

“No! The Master, don’t touch him!” 

 

Within seconds of her biting him, a sickening tearing sound echoed through the castle. Hanadagi propped himself up, having torn Sara’s arm from her body. 

 

It didn’t seem to bother her.

 

“Oh, so you’ve arisen, I’m honoured. Of course, I will need the hunter’s hand to deliver the finishing blow, Hanadagi-sama.”

From under her coat she revealed in her hand a pumping heart.

 

“But, it’s good that I’ve got a heart so I can gather the most power.” She purred, dragging her tongue along the organ. 

 

Before anyone could make a move, Sara made her escape in a swarm of spiders. 

 

Collecting himself from his shock, Nagamichi bowed to the awakened Pureblood.

 

“Hanadagi-sama.”

 

“How could a little girl break through my castle’s defences?” He asked in a gravelly voice.

 

“I beg your forgiveness, Sara-sama captured Ouri’s life energy, Head of the clan. It was by using that power that she managed to breach the castle’s defences.” 

 

“Ouri-dono was beaten by someone so weak? Well, that greedy little girl must be good at using deception.” 

 

He pointed at Nagamichi with an almost claw-like hand.

 

“Answer me, tell me everything about the things which are going on right now.” 

 

Nagamichi opened his mouth to talk, but was interrupted by Hanadagi.

 

“No, I have an idea I like much better. After all, my throat is so very dry.” 

 

* * *

 

The prison car sped through the streets noisily, as though it were in some sort of race. Inside the car were two hunters, a noble vampire and a Pureblood.

 

“That way!” Yuuki cried.

 

“Hurry up, Roger!” Kaien added in an urgent tone.

 

The driver, Roger, grunted his agreement and tried to speed up further.

 

“What is a Pureblood vampire doing in a prison car?” He asked through a mumble.

 

Yuuki didn’t respond, gripping onto the bars and watching him drive with intent eyes. Hanabusa was sat behind her, his arms folded, feeling admittedly slightly motion sick.

 

“As if we weren’t in enough trouble, she drags me out again _and_ hijacks a prison car?” He whined, more to himself than anyone else.

 

Finally, Kaien answered Roger’s question.

 

“As soon as our car came into the station, she got our attention and insisted on coming.” 

 

Yuuki’s grip tightened on the bar. Kaien looked at her, desperately suppressing the swell of emotions in his heart at seeing his daughter again.

 

“Yuuki, the Hanadagi family’s ancestral home is over there, in that direction. Hasn’t Kaname-kun told you anything?”

 

Frustrated, she bowed her head.

 

“No.”

 

* * *

 

No matter how fast he ran, Nagamichi couldn’t get far from Hanadagi, even despite his condition. 

 

“Now, with a heart gauged out I’m low on power. Though I didn’t expect to face any resistance.”

 

“Hanadagi-sama.” Nagamichi pleaded.

 

“I will say it once more, offer me your blood and your life.”

 

He raised his hand and the aura completely changed. It became colder, electrically charged, and Nagamichi felt as though he was cemented to the spot.

 

“Come.” 

 

Without any thought, Nagamichi began to walk forward, his trembling hand reaching out for Hanadagi’s.

 

“Yes, Hanadagi-sama.” 

 

A shadowy figure appeared beside him, sending a deep shiver down his spine and once again rooting him to the spot.

 

He watched in shock and horror as Kaname plunged the anti vampire sword deep into Hanadagi’s body, the weapon crackling against their skin. Hanadagi gasped dryly, cracks lining his face. 

 

Then, at last, he smashed into pieces of glass and dust.


	24. Why?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanabusa and Yuuki finally find Kaname, but what they then witness shocks and devastates them both. In the aftermath, they both are taken as prisoners, leaving the question of 'why' looming in the air. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 67 & 68.

 

Weakly, Nagamichi fell to his knees.

 

“Ka-Kaname-sama, thank you for sav-…wait, no, you killed Hanadagi-sama, a Pureblood!” 

 

Kaname’s expression remained blank.

 

“Aidou-dono, who actually decided that one mustn’t violate the sanctity of Purebloods?” He asked, seemingly in earnest. 

 

Sensing the fear and confusion in the air, Kaname knelt down to the noble’s level.

 

“Kaname-sama, it’s frightening when you say those words.” The man admitted, bowing his head.

 

“Is it really impossible to control vampire society without using Purebloods? It’s like bees who can’t do a thing without their Queen.” 

 

After a few moments pause, Kaname tutted.

 

“Impossible! Could you really be so foolish?” 

 

The weapon in his hand crackled and spat, burning into his skin. 

 

“Kaname-sama, please release your hold on that cursed weapon. You might not be safe with it.”

 

Something in what he’d said made Kaname’s mood change significantly, he could feel it radiating from his being.

 

“Aidou-dono, I will tell you something right now.” 

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuki couldn’t run fast enough. She _knew_ something was wrong, she just _knew_ it! She heard Hanabusa and Kaien following closely behind, and wondered if they were just as alarmed.

 

Kaname and Nagamichi came into her sight as soon as she entered the building. Kaname stood just as she slowed to a stop at the bottom of the steps.

 

“Kana-”

 

But she was too late.

 

It felt like time slowed down.

 

Kaname raised the sword, his eyes a dark red hue, and brought it down with force, decapitating Nagamichi right where he was knelt.

 

Hanabusa felt his heart stop in his chest. In fact, he felt for a moment as though he’d forgotten how to breathe.

 

“Father.” He whispered, his voice breaking.

 

Nagamichi’s body crumbled away into ash before his eyes. Hanabusa cried out, a raw, almost animalistic sound Yuuki had never heard before.

 

“Father! Father!!”

 

Kaname lowered his sword and gazed at Yuuki, who was frozen in shock. 

 

“I will not hesitate any longer, Yuuki. This acts as my warning.”

 

Her heart plummeted in her chest as he began turning into bats bit by bit.

 

“I’m sorry, but I am going to fulfil my original plan, as I should have done before. Thank you, Yuuki.” 

 

The flock of bats were all that was left of his form, dispersing as Hanabusa rushed up the stairs. 

 

* * *

 

 

As he’d expected, when he reformed in the forests he was met by Akatsuki and Ruka.

 

“Kaname-sama.” They greeted in unison.

 

Noticing the weapon, Ruka slid off her coat and wrapped it around the sword, taking Kaname’s hand through the fabric.

 

“Please, quickly, release your hold on that sword.” 

 

Wordlessly, he obliged.

 

“We could hear Hanabusa’s screaming, Kaname-sama. He…our beloved Uncle Aidou…” Ruka’s voice cracked, her face a picture of emotions.

 

“Let’s go. Kaien Cross will be following us, so will Aidou and…also Yuuki.”

* * *

 

Hanabusa’s body trembled as he ascended the last of the steps, his piercing blue eyes coming to rest on the pile of ash. Finally, he fell to his knees.

 

“Father.” He whimpered, his world crumbling around him. 

 

Yuuki could faintly hear Hanabusa’s sobs and wails through the white noise echoing inside her mind. She couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, couldn’t _breathe_.

 

Why, why, _why_?!

 

“You two stay here, I’m going after Kaname-kun!” She heard Kaien say, his footsteps picking up until they disappeared.

 

_Was this a punishment? Why? Because of the secret rooms? Because of the arguments? Because she’d left?_

 

Her mind was spinning, yet the world was completely still. Everything still came back to her being the reason for his actions. _This was her fault._

 

Slowly, she moved towards the stairs. Her legs felt so heavy, it was almost painful. When she reached Hanabusa, he was shaking and sobbing, his tears pooling into his father’s ashes. Although she didn’t feel it was her place, she found herself kneeling beside him and wrapping her arms around him, comfortingly rubbing his back.

 

“What are you doing?” He spluttered through tears. 

 

Yuuki hesitantly pulled away.

 

“I’m sorry.” 

 

After taking a deep, shaking breath, Hanabusa wrapped his arms around Yuuki’s waist, surprising her. Gently, she sifted her fingers through his hair and continued to rub his back, feeling her own tears rolling down her cheeks. 

 

“Why? Why would Kaname-sama…?”

 

A pang of guilt hit her heart.

 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, closing her eyes. 

 

* * *

 

After a while, Kaien returned to collect Hanabusa and Yuuki. They walked together out to the prison car, and were about to climb in to the back when Kaien stopped them.

 

“Association duty is to hunt vampires. On the other hand, arresting vampires who disturb vampire society’s peace is also our important duty.”

 

He held up two shackles, an uncomfortable look on his face.

 

“I’m sorry, because you’re both witnesses we must detain you as persons of interest, and also because you’re his fiancee, Yuuki.” 

 

Once they were clad in shackles, the pair climbed into the prison car. The whole of the car ride was silent.

 

* * *

 

Zero ran his hand through his hair, reading over yet another file. Thankfully, it was still quiet, but he knew soon the night shift would begin, the busiest shift for hunters. 

 

“I’m impressed.” He heard Kaito say, “You’re not bitching, and you’re helping with the President’s work. Well with you, I either expect you’ll do a perfect job or you won’t do anything at all.”

  
“Shut up, Kaito. You caring about me is annoying.” He closed the file, rolling it up in his hand.

 

“Really? Sorry, my bad. Still, I’m impressed that I don’t need to be concerned, and you shouldn’t complain when people worry about you.”

 

Zero chuckled.

 

“I appreciate the ‘hard work’. Could you please convince the guys outside the door that I’m alright? There’s no reason for them to expect any violence.”

 

Kaito scoffed with a sly grin.

 

“Yeah but you do realise their feelings about you are complicated. Someone who was supposed to be an ally became an enemy because of vampires. It’s so rare to see that happen these days, and that pain ripped straight through the heart of every hunter.”

 

Zero rested his cheek on his hand, a feeling of sadness washing over him. His colleague, a female hunter with glasses and a kind expression, set some tea and files down onto the table.

 

“Here, this is the next file and your tea.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“No problem.”

 

Kaito placed his hand on his hip.

 

“Really, you have no class.”

 

Zero opened the file, not meeting Kaito’s stare.

 

“That’s not your only business here, is it?” He turned the page, catching his finger and cutting it. 

 

Kaito watched him staring at the blood, which was trickling down his finger.

 

“We have reports from the Association’s President. The Head of the Kuran family has been declared as a ‘dangerous vampire’. The younger sister has also been declared as dangerous and is being held in custody.”

 

With a sigh, Zero tapped the paper.

 

“I’m only doing the job I was given.”

 

In his heart, however, a storm of emotions brewed.


	25. I am Yuuki Kuran

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taken prisoner, Yuuki finally realises just how terrible the repercussions of Kaname's actions will be. Meanwhile, other vampires receive word of what he has done, as crime begins to escalate for the hunters. After a difficult trial, Yuuki visits the grieving Hanabusa, but what can she do to make things better?
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 69.

 

She’d never noticed it when she was a human, but it was overpowering her now. Drifting through the building was the presence of the hooded woman, the one who was so dear to Kaname, the one he wouldn’t put a name to.

 

Yuuki halted at the door, Hanabusa only a few steps behind her.

 

“What’s the matter?” Kaien asked, “Come, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

 

“I don’t have a taming mark on me, so I cannot enter.”

 

Kaien paused.

 

“It’s alright, the shackles will protect you both from the entrance trap.”

 

Bowing her head in defeat, Yuuki walked into the Association. 

 

He could tell she was here, her presence and her scent had him reaching for his throat. Kaito peered at Zero from the corner of his eye, curious. 

 

“Come, this way.” Kaien gestured to a corridor, where the two young men turned into their line of sight, bickering quietly.

 

Yuuki’s eyes met Zero’s and the snowy pile in her heart became a blizzard. He tore away his gaze and the two passed each other by without a single word exchanged.

 

“Kiryu-kun, where are you going?!” 

 

Zero glanced at Kaien over his shoulder, a calm expression on his face.

 

“I have to go on an emergency hunt.”

 

_An emergency?_

 

It finally sunk in for the first time as he uttered those words. _This would lead to the start of a war._

 

* * *

 

The petite vampire ran down the stairs as quickly as she could, startling both of her parents.

 

“Father! Mother!”

 

“What is it, Maria?” Her father asked.

 

“It’s good that she’s healthy, but…” Her mother commented, watching her daughter in awe.

 

“I’m sorry. I borrowed the eyes and ears of a bird and overheard the nobles gossiping. Kaname-sama has…the Head of the Kuran family has disappeared, it seems.” 

 

She spared them the details of what she had really heard as she spied on the nobles. 

 

_“I can’t guess the reason Kaname-sama would discipline Nagamichi Aidou-dono.”_

 

_“Could he have gone mad, like Rido-sama?”_

 

_“Is that why he laid hands on one of the Purebloods of the Hanadagi family?”_

 

* * *

 

News travelled fast, it seemed. 

 

The maid watched her Master patiently as he read the letter, his eyes alight with interest.

 

“Is it bad news, Isaya-sama?”

 

With a gentle sigh, Isaya folded the letter.

 

“My my, the Purebloods reputation has gotten to be quite bad again.”

 

“You’ll be alright, Isaya-sama.” 

 

He smiled at his faithful maid.

 

“It’ll be the same for the hunters, though. Still, it’s sad.” 

 

* * *

 

Yuuki didn’t picture herself ever standing on trial. She couldn’t imagine the nerves she’d feel, the uncertainty, the eyes on her, judging her. Yet here she was.

 

“This girl, what do you think of her?” Jinmu asked, uncaring if she heard.

 

“Well, compared to other Purebloods I’ve seen, as a vampire I’d say she’s normal. Actually, it’s pretty creepy.” Roger answered, scratching his chin.

 

Kaien was sat in a plush chair, leaning his chin against both of his hands as he questioned his daughter. 

 

“So, Yuuki Kuran, you don’t know Kaname Kuran’s whereabouts, or even his objective. You really don’t know anything at all?” 

 

Yuuki swallowed.

 

“I haven’t heard from him.”

 

“As the sister and fiancee of the leader of all Purebloods, as a member of the house that once ruled the vampires, what do you think is the reason for your brother’s actions?” 

 

Her lip trembled. _He did it because of me, that must have been the case._

 

“I can’t speak of his motives without countless speculation.”

 

“I see.” Kaien pushed his glasses up.

 

“You don’t know anything either, so I give up. I’ve no choice but to ask him directly.”

 

Yuuki shook her head.

 

“ _I’m_ going to find him and ask him, so I’ve come here to tell you that I won’t let you stand in my way. Please, don’t stand in my way.”

 

Kaien gave Yuuki a sympathetic look, but his tone remained serious.

 

“Yuuki, do you know of the agreement we have with Kaname-kun - with the Kuran Head?”

 

She hesitated, but then nodded.

 

“The vampire race and the human race are to have peaceful order. Aggressive contact with humans is forbidden. Also with cooperation with the Association, the representative shall work on these things.”

 

“So do you understand that Kaname-kun made this promise with us upon Kuran blood. It’s your duty as his sister to keep that promise, upon the same Kuran blood.” 

 

Yuuki tried her best to stand tall, even though inside she felt smaller and smaller.

 

“So,” Kaien continued, “as Acting Head, if you don’t get the support of the Noble Vampires, it’s likely that other Purebloods would rise up.”

 

He gestured with his hands to indicate the severity of the situation.

 

“I don’t know what happened before, however Kaname-kun’s disappearance is an obvious fact that is already well known. Cunning vampires, who’re always looking to cause trouble, are making their moves quickly.” 

 

She could only imagine the scale of chaos. Zero’s words, the _emergency_ hunt, it was truly worse than she had thought it could ever be. 

 

“Unfortunately, it’s the same as after the council was taken out. It’s frustrating, but we must take measures immediately.”

 

Yuuki frowned, meeting Kaien’s eyes with concern.

 

“Alright, for now Yuuki, please think about it. As long as you remain here in the Headquarters, you may move freely.”

 

From one four walled prison to another, Yuuki wondered if she would ever be free.

 

* * *

 

The hunt was on.

 

Adrenaline pumped through the veins of both hunters as they pursued the target, hearts racing and eyes glazed over in a way that was almost primal. 

 

“Zero, he’s that way!” Kaito called, dashing past his silver haired companion.

 

“I know.” He replied gruffly, setting his eyes on a tall, abandoned building.

 

Determined, he took off at speed. This was not just any vampire hunt after all. The life of a child was also at stake. 

 

* * *

 

She found Hanabusa in his cell, sitting quietly on his cot. His red rimmed eyes were downcast to the floor, cheeks stained with tears. Silently, Yuuki made her way into the room and knelt before him. Their eyes met and her heart sank. He looked, in every sense of the word, heartbroken. 

 

“Aidou-senpai. You know, you can go back home if you like.” 

 

His brows furrowed slightly.

 

“Really, you didn’t have to come all the way to this place with me,” she pressed further, “I’m going to take responsibility and find out that man’s…and find out Kaname’s reasons.”

 

She was the one to glance down at the floor this time, the shocking scene replaying in the back of her mind. 

 

“Until then,” she said finally, “please just wait a bit. I have to do certain things on his behalf.” 

 

Their eyes met again, but his were different now. He held a gaze that she could only describe as sympathetic, despite his own circumstances.

 

“I can imagine.” 

 

“The Association promised me they would chase him down, so-”

 

“Kaname-sama asked me to take care of you.” He interrupted suddenly, catching Yuuki off guard.

 

“I’m not going home.” The word ‘home’ shuddered off his lips. She witnessed his eyes clouding with more tears, his brows knitting together tightly.

 

“Why did my father accept it?” 

 

Without thinking, Yuuki stood up and wrapped her arms around Hanabusa’s head, holding him as comfortingly as she could.

 

“What are you doing?” He asked, choking back a sob.

 

“I just felt like it.” She replied, staring off at the wall thoughtfully. 

 

After a few moments of silence, she felt Hanabusa stir. She opened her mouth to say something, but was caught off guard by the sounds and smells of a nearby commotion.

 

Perhaps the emergency hunt was over.


	26. Determination Without Obligation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki comes face to face with the latest victim in the surge of vampire crime, sparking a new determination within her. During her mission to catch the suspect of this crime spree, she runs into an all too familiar person. She is left with a resolution, one she knows this person will not like. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 69 & 70.

 

 

“Hey! Expert!”

 

Kaito rushed over to the peculiar man, who was replacing his eyepatch with a spectacle as he approached. In Kaito’s arms was a child, who appeared limp and unresponsive despite their open eyes and fixed stare. 

 

“This child was recovered from the target at the crime scene. It seems it was a vampire who interferes with emotions, as she has been like a doll the whole time.” 

 

The man considered the child with curious eyes.

 

“You haven’t taken down the target yet, have you?”

 

“No.” Kaito admitted.

 

“That’s rare, letting a target slip by when Zero’s there.” 

 

Before he had a chance to respond, he realised he was being watched. He glowered at Yuuki, who, after a moment's reluctance, stepped forward.

 

“I smelled blood, so I thought someone might be hurt.”

 

Kaito’s expression remained serious, giving nothing away.

 

“It’s always like this, someone is always injured.”

 

She noticed the cuts on the child’s knees, staining the bottom of her pretty winter’s coat.

 

“This child has a minor abrasion, it’d be better if you didn't come any closer to her.” 

 

Suddenly, Yuuki found herself stood with two weapons held up against her neck, preventing her from stepping forward any further. This didn’t deter her, however.

 

“Helpless children are always targeted this way.” She lamented, reaching out to stroke the child’s hair. 

 

When her hand rested on the child’s head, however, she found herself momentarily paralysed. 

 

Fragments, like shards of glass, engulfed her vision. 

 

_A bloodthirsty vampire, grinning as he snatched his prey._

 

_Stairs, so many stairs, rushing upwards without stopping._

 

_A figure catching up to them._

 

_The Bloody Rose gun._

 

_Two figures falling together in a frenzied scuffle, one so familiar to her._

 

_Zero._

 

_It was Zero._

 

_He witnessed blood drifting past his face and his eyes were staining with crimson almost immediately._

 

_Was he that thirsty?_

 

“Wahh!!! Wahhhh!!!!”

 

The wailing of the child forced Yuuki out of her mind and back to reality.

“Where am I?! Mommy!!!” She screeched, bawling into her hands.

 

Yuuki retracted her hand sharply, surprised.

 

“It’s okay, you’ll see her soon.” Kaito cooed soothingly, cradling the child closer.

 

It was bizarre to see such a fierce and, frankly, quite hot headed person act so gently. He turned his attention back to her before she could dwell on the sight before her.

 

“You removed her memories and the interference, didn’t you?” 

 

Yuuki looked briefly at her hand in disbelief.

 

“I must have, yes.”

 

With a sigh, she held her hand against her face.

 

“So um, Zero-”

 

“That guy would kill me if I told you, sorry.”

 

Helplessly, she watched as Kaito turned his heel and made his leave with the distressed child, her echoing cries for her mother filling the building with a tinge of sorrow.

 

* * *

 

She could hear muffled voices bickering behind the doors. Her hand was raised, poised to knock, but she found herself unable to do so. It was ridiculous, she needed to pull herself together! 

 

Taking a deep breath, Yuuki knocked. 

 

“Come in.” Kaien’s voice called from inside.

 

As she thought, when she opened the door she was greeted by both Kaien and Toga, the latter of whom was dabbing a cigarette into an ash tray. 

 

“Yuuki, are you alright?” Her ‘father’ asked, his voice laced with concern.

 

“I’m fine, I just…” she trailed off, trying to put the words together.

 

“Chairman- er, Association President, please allow me to go outside.”

 

“Why?” He eyed his daughter curiously, feeling a touch of sadness when her gaze shifted down to the floor rather solemnly.  


 

“I know I am a Pureblood of the Kuran name, but it is not because I am a Kuran or that I have an obligation. In order to be accepted, I have to show my people how I would do things myself.”

 

Her eyes met his, determined.

 

“So, please give me permission to punish the vampire who ran from Zero. I absolutely want vampires and humans to get along.” 

 

Even now, in the position she was in, her sense of justice was still intact. It warmed Kaien’s heart, though he couldn’t let it show on his face.

 

“…Alright, if that is all then go ahead.” 

 

“Hey.” Toga grunted out, folding his arms disapprovingly. 

 

Yuuki bowed and took her leave, dashing away as quickly as she could, even if it was only to a faux freedom. Kaname will be caught by her, no matter what. For now, though, there were more urgent matters at hand to attend to. 

 

* * *

 

The town was busier than ever, bustling with people who all had the same topic of discussion on the tips of their tongues. With her drawing in hand, Yuuki fully intended to use their interest in the subject to her advantage. 

 

She couldn’t help but overhear some of the things they’d said on her way.

 

“Did you hear what happened? Such a terrible story!”

 

“I want to play more, Mommy!”

 

“No, we must get home before it’s dark. It’s not safe around here these days, until the police do something about it you must stay close to me.”

 

It stung her heart to think so many were living in fear now, that chaos had enveloped the town again in just a matter of hours.

 

She also knew, as much as it annoyed her, that she was being followed by two men. They were hunters, she could tell by their mere demeanour and smell. Still, she decided that their presence would not deter her. 

 

Her line of questioning strangers led her to a small tavern. The bell dinged as she opened the door, her boots creaking on the wooden floor as she entered. A weary bartender glanced up at her with suspicious eyes.

 

“It’s members only here, didn’t you notice the sign out front?” 

 

She reached into her bag and rummaged.

 

“Ah, you’re one of our kind. What do you need, young lady?”

 

He laid eyes on the drawing, which she held up with great confidence, and grimaced at how poorly it was drawn.

 

“Have you ever seen this person?” She asked, determined.

 

“My, this is badly drawn. You might improve if you drink the blood of someone with artistic talent.”

 

Yuuki huffed, but continued on.

“Well, have you heard any rumours of a person targeting human children in particular recently?” 

 

He set the wine glass in his hand on the counter and gave her a serious look.

 

“Hey now, it’s dangerous to speak of such things.” 

 

“You there, what are you up to?” A cold, rough voice from behind her asked. 

 

Yuuki turned her head to look at the man and smiled to herself. _Gotcha._

 

She walked over to the man, who regarded her coolly.

 

“Last night you kidnapped two more small children, where are they?”

 

Though the lighting in the tavern was low, she noticed the beads of sweat collecting on his forehead. He was nervous.

 

“Hey now, are you in any position to question me like that, little lady?” He sneered with a sickly grin.

 

“Yes. I want those children back, you can live without taking human children’s blood. You shouldn’t be doing what you’re doing!” 

 

After a beat of silence, he got up from his seat, the chair scraping against the wooden floor.

 

“You…could you perhaps be? No way, not in a place like this.”

 

_So he knew who she was? Well, good._

 

“Where are the children?” Yuuki asked again, her eyes piercing threateningly into his.

 

Stunned and clearly horrified, the man stumbled over his feet before turning and hastily bounding towards the back door.

 

“Hold it right there!” Yuuki cried, following behind him at speed.

 

Desperately, she took the bag off her shoulder and threw it straight at his head right as he opened the door. He was no more than a few steps out when the bag collided with the back of his head and left him in a heap on the floor.

 

Yuuki rushed to his side, crouching down once she realised just how hard the bag had hit him.

 

“I must have thrown too hard! Helloooo~?” 

 

Her eyes lifted up briefly from his unconscious form and instantly met Zero’s lavender ones. He was studying her quietly, his expression giving nothing away. His arms were folded and he was leaning against the wall, she assumed he must have been waiting there for some time.

 

It was silent for a few moments.

 

“That was my prey.” He finally said.

 

She frowned.

 

“Then you shouldn’t have let him get away.” 

 

He glowered at her, but there was something in his eyes - pain, worry, guilt? 

 

_Zero, are you okay?_

 

She stood up, brushing herself down.

 

“Did you think that you could handle them all on your own? It’s been busy around here lately again, and the work has piled up tonight too.”

 

Yuuki knew what he was going to say, she felt her heart ache and clenched her fists in frustration before the words even left his lips.

 

“You must be aware of who’s caused this trouble.” He bit out, moving away from the wall, away from her.

 

She didn’t want to look at him, not even as he walked away. But then his footsteps stopped, and she dared to stare over at him, their eyes quickly locked again in a wordless tango for what seemed like an eternity.

 

“Would you still stand by him, even if there were more and more despicable things that you never knew about him? Even if…”

 

“Zero?” 

 

His lips moved slightly, attempting to form the right words. In the end, he sighed softly and turned his head away.

 

“Forget it. There are people following from the Association. Hand that guy over to them.” 

 

Confused and wondering, Yuuki watched the hunter as he left, his tall form soon becoming another shadow in the night. She heard a pained groan and her attention turned back to the injured suspect she had, rather ungracefully, detained. 

 

There was only one thing she could do now. Something Zero would not like, at all.


	27. Re-Establishing Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki begins setting her own plans into motion, surprising all of the people she approaches. Kaname's actions continue to have a terrifying impact on society. Hanabusa and Zero are finally able to discuss the fated book and its implications. Zero reflects on one particularly important figure in that book.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 70.

 

 

A bird was perched quietly on the branch of a tree, watching the commotion with keen eyes. It seemed that the Nobles were searching high and low for Kaname, but the search was fruitless.

 

“Maria. _Maria_!”

 

The silver haired girl gasped as she was unceremoniously torn from the bird’s vision, finding herself sat on her favourite chair facing the large window of her bedroom. The voice belonged to her father, and he sounded troubled. 

 

Hastily, she got up and went to open the door. 

 

“What is it, father?”

 

“I heard a person called ‘Yuuki-san’ was in the Academy’s Day Class. What was she like? You’ve met her before, right?”

 

She furrowed her brows at such an odd question. There was likely more than one Yuuki in existence at Cross Academy, after all. However, there _was_ only one she could recall. 

 

“Hmm. What was she like…? Well, she’s someone who is easy to talk to. She always used to be with a boy from one of the hunter families. Why are you asking so suddenly?” 

 

He held up a letter for his daughter to see.

 

“We’ve received a letter from Yuuki-san as current Head of the Kuran family from the Association.”

 

Suddenly, Maria’s mother came into view, seeming equally as surprised.

 

“Darling! Oh, Maria! Oh my! We have a guest!”

 

Not far behind her mother was a girl around Maria’s height, she had long, dark hair and kind but focused eyes. It was only after the girl gave her greeting that Maria truly recognised her.

 

“Good evening, long time no see. Do you remember me?” 

 

* * *

 

After a long, tiring day of shooting, the two young models were finally able to relax and get themselves ready to go home. It had been a long, sunny day with few breaks. Rima collapsed into her chair once she got to her makeshift dressing room, with Senri leaning against her vanity table.

 

“There’s been a lot of gossip about Kaname-sama and his sister, it seems she’s on the move after that brief stint at the Association. I wonder what her intentions are.” 

 

“Her intentions likely fall in line with what happened to that model earlier.” 

 

Yes, that was a rather unfavourable incident to witness. 

 

_It was lunchtime. Rima sat down in her chair, sipping from her cup through a straw. Senri soon joined her, but didn’t sit down. He never did like to sit around much, even on his breaks. She looked up at him through her glasses, ones she only needed for their shoot but hadn’t the chance to take off just yet._

 

_Something was bothering him._

 

_“Rima, it seems something’s going on with that model over there.” He said, confirming her thoughts._

 

_Sure enough, amidst the hustle and bustle of lunchtime rush hour, a girl was sat shaking in her chair, looking pale and incredibly terrified._

 

_“I’m telling you, it’s true! There was a man walking far behind me, but within a blink of an eye he was right beside me! He told me “it’s too bad your blood looks unappetising”. It was so scary! I don’t get it!”_

 

_“Without the attention of the Nobles, criminals have been taking advantage and causing incidents like these more often.” Shiki said, his expression impassive._

 

_“Can’t blame the Nobles for focusing their attention elsewhere, I guess. There’s nothing scarier to them than Kaname-sama. He killed the Head of the Hanadagi family, then Aidou-san’s father. It must be terrifying, with his motive being so unclear. The other Pureblood families are silently observing all of this. It must be hard on his sister.”_

 

_Not long after that, the pair were ushered away to another shoot._

 

A knock at the door pulled the two from their line of thought. 

 

“Come in.” Rima sighed, fiddling with the lace on her gloves.

 

Their manager peeped her head around the door, eyes alight with what seemed like excitement. 

 

“Ah good, you both are together. There’s a visitor here for you both.”

 

“A visitor?” They asked in unison, sparing each other confused glances.

The door opened wider and another head popped around the door.

 

“It’s been a while, I’m really sorry to be bothering you!” Yuuki said, smiling apologetically.

 

* * *

 

“You’ve been letting her wander around freely. If your objective is to make her lure Kuran out, just make her find him, it’s an eyesore!” 

 

Zero glowered at Kaien, who seemed to take his cold words and expression in his stride. Using her as bait was not beneath someone like Kaien, even if she was his adopted daughter. It disgusted him.

 

“Yuuki will not chase Kaname-kun for now. She knows what she’s supposed to be doing. She must always have a guard watching over her, it’s stricter for her than you. Those are the conditions for letting her out.”

 

For a few heavy moments, silence hung in the air.

 

“What can she do on her own?” 

 

“That’s _if_ she was doing this on her own.”

 

Before Zero could reply, the door opened behind him.

 

“Oi! Got a minute?” Toga’s request was more of a bark.

 

Zero turned, his eyes immediately meeting Yuuki’s. He cast his away quickly.

 

“That’s fine, what can I do for you Yuuki?” Kaien asked, his voice pleasant.

 

The brunette passed by Zero as he left the room. The last thing he heard before closing the door behind him was her beginning to make a request. 

 

After a brief pause, Zero turned and hastily made his way downstairs, finding his way to Hanabusa’s cell.

 

* * *

 

Hanabusa was sitting on the floor, staring into space, when Zero opened the creaky door to his cell. The blonde didn’t acknowledge him, but he knew who was there.

 

“Did you read the book?” 

 

“I have.”

 

“And the letters?”

 

Zero didn’t reply. 

 

Hanabusa finally looked up at the silver haired teen.

 

“You’re here to ask whether I already knew about the contents of that book, aren’t you?” 

 

Lavender eyes gleamed in the dim light.

 

“I don’t think Kuran Kaname would have trusted you with that sort of knowledge.”

 

What seemed to be hurt registered on Hanabusa’s face, even if for only a few fleeting moments.

 

“Then what is it? I have no answers for you about who he was then or what he is doing now.”

 

“Does the murder of your father have anything to do with you handing me that book?”

 

Hanabusa figured he’d ask that. After all, it was very close in terms of timeline for Kaname to suddenly go rogue. 

 

“I don’t know,” Hanabusa answered honestly, “I don’t think Kaname-sama knows you have the book, but he knew that I’d seen it and…and his sister, as well.” 

 

Zero folded his arms.

 

“How did you find this book?”

 

“How do I know you won’t report back to the Association on anything I tell you?” 

 

“You don’t.” He replied simply.

 

The two stared at each other, it was an intense, frigid stare that held all sorts of unspoken words and truths. 

 

Finally, Hanabusa let one of those truths slip from his tongue.

 

“Yuuki-sama,” it always felt weird addressing her so formally, “I gave her the library key to do research in her own time. She accidentally found a passage that led her to a secret library and a locked room that she was unable to gain access to. That’s where she found the book.”

 

“Does she know the full extent of what’s in there?”

 

He shook his head.

 

“When I caught her with the book, it seemed she was only a page or so in.”

 

Zero cast his eyes to the barred window, a thoughtful expression on his face.

 

“What are you going to do?” Hanabusa asked, snapping Zero out of whatever he was thinking about.

 

Instead of answering, Zero turned back to the door.

 

“She seems to be stirring up her own bout of trouble. For now, I have to stay silent and keep watch.”

 

He spared one last glance over his shoulder at the blonde, who looked as dishevelled as he felt in that cold cell.

 

“You should keep an eye on her, too. That’s why you stayed around here, right?” 

 

Zero left Hanabusa with that thought on his mind and a flush in his cheeks. 

 

* * *

 

As he walked through the Association building, Zero could feel the thrum of energy humming in his veins. The sketches of the Ancestress put a face to the sensation resonating throughout the old building. 

 

Surprisingly, little was known about her even in that mysterious book. It chronicled so much - the many wars, the different vampire societies and families, even personal accounts from the original Ancestors and Ancestresses that detailed all manner of things, from mundane to magical. Yet she remained a figure that was almost a myth, a Goddess even. 

 

Her life was also shrouded in speculation, particularly about the twin curse that her descendants carried through generations. Some speculated she had a twin herself, others that she could have cursed her blood for making a sacrifice against her race whilst pregnant, as well as more theories that were outlandish and unfounded. 

 

She was known, however, for being outspoken and brave. The braid in her hair and the horse she rode were her distinguishing features, though her eyes were said to be determined yet kind. She was a woman of strategy and charity, and volunteered willingly to aid both the battling and the wounded in war - despite how many there were. For a long time, until the Kuran Ancestor went into slumber, she was regarded as a saint figure.

 

Zero lifted his gun from its holster and gazed at it. He could feel its lust for blood more prominently than ever when in the building, surrounded by the very soul of its creator. Idly, he wondered why someone said to love her the way Kuran Kaname did would do something that threatened the sanctity of her sacrifice. 

 

With a deep, tired sigh, Zero put the Bloody Rose safely back into the holster and set off again. He had work to do.


	28. Cooperators

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki delivers a very important request to the Noble vampires, with unlikely support coming to aid her in her moment of need. Sara revels in Yuuki's newly laid plans, while Takuma is made to play puppet again. Zero doesn't like Yuuki's plan, but not for the reason expected of him. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 70 & 71.

 

 

“You’re serious?” 

 

Yuuki straightened up as best she could, trying to make herself seem taller and more dignified.

 

“Yes. I want to restart the Night Class. I want to protect the agreement between the Association and my brother, but there is only so much I can do myself.”

 

The Nobles, who seemed like shadows in the dark room, were all regarding her with suspicious and skeptical eyes.

 

“You needn’t bother asking us for permission. You can do what you like with the Pureblood powers you hold.” 

 

“No, the Night Class should be established through collaboration. I want comrades who will protect the agreement together with me there. I will surely find those comrades if the Night Class is established through collaboration.” 

 

She scanned around the room, trying to decipher the expressions on the faces of her subjects. 

 

“I want to get along with all of you, and I want to get along with humans as well.”

 

A seated man spoke up, his voice tinged with curiosity.

 

“What are you going to do about Kaname-sama? With what happened to Hanadagi-sama and Aidou-dono, we cannot deny the possibility of Kaname-sama becoming our foe.”

 

The others in the room murmured in agreement.

 

“And yet,” another spoke up, “you’re discussing the Night Class reopening rather than what to do about Kaname-sama? With all due respect, there is not a single person willing to collaborate with you now, is there?” 

 

Two figures stepped out from behind the door, both looking equally impassive.

 

“That’s not the case.” Rima said.

 

“We’ll collaborate, we understand what she’s talking about.” Senri added.

 

Yuuki shot them a brief but warm smile.

 

“I’m grateful to you both, Senpai.”

 

“Aidou-senpai hasn’t come, has he?” 

 

Yuuki didn’t look at either of them, but she felt them looking right at her.

 

“You didn’t invite him?” Rima asked.

 

“No. For now, I couldn’t ask him.” Yuuki admitted mournfully.

 

“I see, that’s how it is.” Rima nodded, understanding.

 

There was another murmuring before yet another man spoke up.

 

“Then, I shall be frank with you. Those of us in nobility have no desire to end up like Aidou-dono. We don’t have any guarantee that you won’t do what Kaname-sama has done. Aidou-dono’s son must be even more suspicious of you than us.” 

 

Such an assumption felt like a punch to the heart, but she supposed they probably were right.

 

“Will you punish us for disobeying you, Yuuki-sama?” Asked a woman.

 

“Or rather, why don’t you use your Pureblood power to make us follow you?” Added her male companion. 

 

“That is-”

 

“She’s incapable of doing such a thing.” Came the familiar, smooth voice. 

 

Yuuki turned her head to see Hanabusa, who stepped forward and looked, thankfully, less dishevelled than he had been lately.

 

“I believe in her.”

 

The murmuring in the room as they acknowledged his presence and who he was became turbulent.

 

“Pardon the intrusion, I’m also collaborating with her.” He stated clearly, cutting through the noise and leaving everyone silent. 

 

Yuuki stared at her dear friend, her heart swelling with gratitude.

 

“Please.” She ended her proposal with a bow, left to hope for the best.

 

* * *

 

Takuma still wasn’t on level terms with Sara since he made his discovery. Sara found it amusing, even taking delight in his attempts to ignore her or answer her coldly. She loved to play with her food, after all, and Takuma still provided her with plentiful meals - whether he wanted to or not.

 

“Takuma, there’s something interesting written in this letter here.” 

 

He pretended not to be interested, he wouldn’t even spare a glance in her direction. 

 

“It says she wants you to be ‘leader’ of the Night Class.” She continued, sparing a small giggle to herself.

 

“I guess that’s to be expected, given Kaname-sama isn’t here anymore, right Takuma?” He met her gaze now, his eyes alight with fury and his face twisted with defiance.

 

It gave her immense pleasure to see him in such a state.

 

“Such a scary expression.” She teased, folding the letter back into its envelope.

 

“When the timing is right, I’d like to join the Night Class too, together with my darling servants.” 

 

Yukari rested her head on her shoulder, nuzzling her beloved Mistress. Another girl climbed onto the couch and towards Sara, hunger and lust in her eyes. 

 

“You’ll be a good boy, won’t you Takuma?” Sara purred through half lidded eyes at the blonde, who stood stiffly and did his best not to react.

 

“Yes, I know you will be. You have no choice.”

 

* * *

 

Zero didn’t know what to make of it, but he didn’t like it either way.

 

“I’ll help you make the necessary arrangements. We can’t deny the benefit the former Night Class brought to us.” He heard Councillor Wakaba say.

 

“Yes, the young vampires are very promising people.” Kaien agreed.

 

“We hope they will become bright students, but you do understand right? You mustn’t allow anything like last year to happen again.” 

 

He turned a photo frame towards the pair, revealing a picture of his daughter, Yori.

 

“After all, I’m also entrusting my daughter to this school of yours.”

 

“Those who seek to instigate fear and confusion among the people and our students will be dealt with more seriously than ever before, Councillor Wakaba.” Kaien assured him.

 

The Councillor turned his frame back to its original position, patting it affectionately.

 

“Please make an effort to do so. I also hope to get along with them, if we can.”

 

After they were dismissed, the two walked down the hallway together. Zero stopped, prompting Kaien’s attention.

 

“What is it, Kiryuu-kun?”

 

The silver haired teen frowned.

 

“I’m not happy about this.”

 

“I figured as much, you weren’t exactly keen the first time around.” Kaien laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

 

“It’s not just about that now and you know it.”

 

The Chairman’s expression almost instantly became serious, the same way a light would come on when a simple switch triggers it.

 

“Multiple schools, particularly private boarding schools, have had clusters of girls acting strangely or even going missing for days at a time. The same schools that have all said a woman matching Sara Shirabuki’s description was looking to enrol there.” Zero continued, his lavender eyes coldly observing Kaien for any sign of a reaction.

 

Kaien sighed, folding his arms.

 

“You are worried she may do the same thing to the students at Cross Academy.”

 

“It may seem too risky for her, given we are on her trail and know who she is, but to infiltrate the Night Class and have access to the Day Class would be worth the risk.”

 

The man pushed his glasses up his nose thoughtfully.

 

“Well, I suppose it’s good that you are thinking on that track. It makes what I’m about to ask of you more relevant.”

 

* * *

 

Toga did not need a microphone, despite the chain smoking his husky voice still remained strong and, when he needed it to be, it was still loud.

 

“Students of Cross Academy!” He bellowed, “There will be a branch school of Cross Academy built in an adjoining area of the Academy! It’s called the Night Class.”

 

The little group who had keenly followed Zero around at each opportunity stood huddled together, eager to hear the news. Around them, they could hear people murmuring all sorts of gossip.

 

“The Night Class had all of the smart people right?”

 

“Yeah, I think so. I only vaguely remember it, somehow.”

 

Yori glanced at one of her companions, a girl with flushed cheeks and light hair.

 

“Really? Aidou-kun’s coming back?!” 

 

“I heard it from Yagari-san, so I’m sure of it.” Yori confirmed, watching as the girl gushed and grasped at her heated cheeks.

 

“What should I do? I’m so happy.”

 

Sparing her an eye roll, Yori glanced around at the others in the hall.

 

“It’s funny, though. Only a few of us remember the true identity of the Night Class.”

 

_And if the Night Class were returning,_ Yori thought hopefully, _then maybe, just maybe, Yuuki would return too._


	29. The New Night Class

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki finally establishes the Night Class and begins to put things in order. However, there are still barriers that keep her from communicating with both Zero and Yori. Elsewhere, Kaname continues to be relentless in his mission, and Purebloods continue to die at his hand.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 71.

 

 

Yuuki was so glad that she wasn’t facing this alone.

 

As she walked through the corridor of the temporary dormitory building, with Hanabusa, Senri and Rima in tow, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of liberation. It was not going to be easy, but she would make it work. She _had_ to make it work. It kept the peace and also ensured the safety and loyalty of younger members of vampire society. 

 

If anyone had told her throughout her year at the manor that she would be in this position, almost like an adult, like a _leader_ , she would probably have laughed. 

 

Zero was stood by the door, leaning against the wall. She expected as much, given there was a room full of vampires. He had his arms folded protectively, eyes on the wall ahead of him. Though she wanted to say something, she thought better of it. Bowing her head, she made her way into the room. 

 

The new students all turned their attention to her upon her entrance. It never stopped unnerving her to have so many eyes watching her every move collectively at one moment. 

 

“Once again, thank you all for coming here. I think quite a few of you may be confused by the dormitories and classrooms, as it is the first time for a great many of you, so if you have any problems then…please count on me as your errand girl!”

 

Hanabusa almost doubled over in shock and horror.

 

“That’s wrong!!” 

 

Innocently, Yuuki gave him a doe eyed look.

 

“It’s not wrong though, right?”

 

“There’s other things you can say, like ‘take me as a role model’ or ‘I’ll lend an ear to your problems’, you stupid Pureblood!” He huffed, steam practically coming out of his ears.

 

She pouted at the latter comment, and focused back on the group watching her.

 

“It’s not wrong! We all should get along!”

 

“Oh, the prestige of ‘Great Purebloods’!” Hanabusa wailed behind her, clutching his head. 

 

She held her determined gaze, but quickly realised that the rest of the room remained silent. 

 

“Or, then again, maybe not…?” She said quietly, briefly feeling her spirits fall.

 

One boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

 

“Get along, you say? It’s an honour, but…”

 

“We came because we heard a Pureblood was having trouble.” A girl beside him finished.

 

Another girl raised her hand to speak.

 

“My brother and I have different views. I came because I thought it wrong for the current situation to continue. I thought that all Purebloods were fine with letting dangerous vampires roam around attacking humans, so I’m glad that I came.” 

 

Yuuki gave a polite smile.

 

“I want to talk to each of you individually next time. For now, thank you for coming. I hope a day will come when we wont have to make such promises, but I’m sure you all came here acknowledging the ‘promise’.”

 

She allowed her tone to drop, becoming more serious.

 

“Please do not touch the humans in this school. If a time comes where any of you should break this promise, I will deal with it before Hunter-san outside the door must do it himself.” 

 

They all seemed to hum in united agreement, and soon after that the meeting was finished and they filed out of the room. 

 

As Hanabusa left, he stopped briefly to glance at Zero over his shoulder. Zero met his stare and gave him a slight nod of acknowledgement. The blonde nodded back, then walked away.

 

After a few more moments, Yuuki left the room herself and closed the door. She paused, then turned to look at Zero. There were things she wanted to say, questions she wanted to ask, but for what seemed like forever there felt like a lump was lodging itself in her throat.

 

“I know you think this is all some silly game, that vampires and humans can’t possibly co-exist.”

 

He regarded her coolly, but his eyes held no anger.

 

“Even now, you still hold onto that belief?” 

 

She was caught off guard by his sudden question. She wasn’t expecting him to speak to her, let alone engage with her.

 

“With all of my being, yes.” 

 

The two gazed in silence into each other’s eyes, neither knowing what to say to the other.

 

“Yuuki.” Zero began, leaning up from the wall.

 

“Zero?”

 

The thud of a suitcase from a short distance away brought an abrupt end to the start of their conversation. The two tore away the gaze, their eyes meeting Maria’s soft ones.

 

“I’m sorry I’m late.” She said with an apologetic smile.

 

“Maria-san, you came!” Yuuki exclaimed, rushing over to the petite girl.

 

“Yes, I hesitated over whether or not to come, but I’d like to make friends so…” Maria trailed off, her eyes resting on Zero as he turned and walked away.

 

“Is Ichiru-chan’s brother working here as a Prefect, like he was before?” 

 

Yuuki sighed.

 

“It’s nothing that simple. He’s merely here as a hunter, who can take us down at any time.”

 

It wasn’t what she’d wanted, far from it in fact.

 

_“Please stop making Zero guard the Night Class!” She pleaded, her hands firmly planted on Kaien’s desk._

 

_He pushed his glasses up his nose, then clasped his hands together._

 

_“I can’t grant that request, Yuuki, we’re shorthanded as it is. Why do you object?”_

 

_Taken aback, Yuuki found herself not knowing quite what to say. There was no way she wanted to tell him the truth about what she’d saw. The truth that, in the little girl’s memories, she saw Zero’s extreme reaction to the sudden scent of blood._

 

_The truth that, in all likelihood, Zero could fall to Level E again._

 

_Her mind wanders in that moment to a day of blood, metal, ashes and snow. Fingers tangling in her hair, a confession whispered against her neck._

 

_“I’ve wanted only your blood.”_

 

_No, that couldn’t be the source of his deep thirst. That was far in the past, Zero must have detached himself from those feelings by now._

 

_“I just worry that it’ll be too much for him to handle.” She finally replied, putting an end to those thoughts._

 

Yet still, the thoughts returned. As she lay in bed, clutching the covers close like a timid child, she found herself back on that battlefield once again. 

 

* * *

 

Yori knew it was late, and knew she’d likely be caught. Still, she found herself making her way to the building, hoping dearly that her best friend was inside somewhere. 

 

“Sayori Wakaba.” _Damn it, Zero._

 

She turned her head to look at him, a defiant gleam in her eye.

 

“Humans still aren’t allowed in here. Go back to your dorm before sunset.”

 

She frowned at him.

 

“It doesn’t make sense. Yuuki is here too, isn’t she? We can’t meet even though we’re friends?”

 

Zero paused for just a beat.

 

“We aren’t at a point where we can allow them to have contact with human students. We wouldn’t be able to guarantee your safety.”

 

* * *

 

The window was slightly ajar, and Yuuki could faintly hear Zero and Yori in conversation. She knew why she was visiting before Zero had even caught her, and her heart sank. Slowly, she began to sit up.

  
“Sorry, Yori-chan. When they’ve guaranteed their safety…” Yuuki trailed off, gazing at the window with eyes that began to glow a familiar shade of crimson.

 

Although faint, their scents drifted through the air. Trembling fingers slowly slid up her throat, stroking it soothingly as she felt her body heat up.

 

“I’m a bit thirsty.” She whispered to herself. 

 

Her eyes flickered to the tablets on the table.

 

* * *

 

The air was crisp and fresh, the sun was just starting to set in the distance. Around her, fellow students uttered their ‘good morning’ in almost a crescendo. It was an ironic, yet kind greeting. She felt another surge of hope.

 

“Good morning everyone. Please look after me from today onward.” 

 

* * *

 

It had been a long time since he had sat on a throne. 

 

And yet here he was, surrounded by the stench of blood, its precious liquid splattered on his cheek from his last kill. He rested his chin on his hand, a shadow casting what looked to be a smile across his lips.

 

Wounded gravely, a male Pureblood staggered forward, then fell to his knees. His female servant rushed to his side, trying to keep him upright as blood thickly poured from his chest.

 

“Why?” He rasped out, “You’re one of the Kurans, the bloodline who had wanted least to do with the dispute of fellow Purebloods.”

 

Kaname closed his eyes, refusing to see any more of the man crumbling in front of him.

 

“Whatever there _had_ been is no longer there. I can no longer leave all of you as you are.”

 

He allowed himself to look once more at the desperate Pureblood as he lifted the man's stolen, half eaten heart, pumping weakly in his hand.

 

“No, wait, please! I beg your mercy!”

 

Having devoured what he wanted already, Kaname squeezed and squeezed, until all that was left were crystal shards and dust.


	30. New Insurance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki makes a resolution that she has yet to follow through on. Still, she ends up on a mission with the new Night Class, holding firmly on to the hope of creating peaceful co-existence. Meanwhile, Kaito reflects on Zero's behaviour and his new role in his life. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 71 & 57.

 

 

The class was buzzing with activity.

 

Hanabusa found it increasingly difficult to pay attention, so he stopped trying. After a few moments of scanning the room, he let his eyes rest on Yuuki. She was happily chatting away to Maria, and her relaxed state put him at ease.

 

He supposed it must have been to do with her resolution a few days ago. 

 

_Yuuki was stood at the window, staring out of it with excited eyes. The decorators had just finished for the day, and she watched them as they got into their vans and left. It would be a while before the original Moon Dorm would be reconstructed, but she had hope in the temporary building for now._

 

_“Please give me some time.” She said suddenly, catching him off guard._

 

_“I have to gather more comrades and do as much as I can to bring down the number of children in danger, like the one I met the other day. So, Aidou-senpai, once I have done what I have to do, I will go after that person.”_

 

_Her eyes met his, hers filled with great determination and fire._

 

_He nodded, understanding, and then said something suddenly that caught her off guard._

 

_“You should speak to Kiryuu.”_

 

_There was a tense silence._

 

_“Why?” She asked simply._

 

_“He is a high ranking hunter and someone you know well. It would be beneficial to at least try to communicate with him in regard to the children and…”_

 

_The name was left unspoken, but they both know who it was._

 

_“Forget it, sorry.” He mumbled._

 

_She appeared uncertain for just a split second, but then shook her head and smiled._

 

_“No, you’re right. We both are working towards the same goals in those respects. It makes sense to at least try. Let’s do our best.”_

 

It seemed that Yuuki hadn’t spoken to Zero yet, though. Either she hadn’t the chance, or she was avoiding him, that’s what Hanabusa decided were the two most likely reasons. 

 

After class, Hanabusa caught up with her, and the pair walked together through the corridor making small talk. One of the teachers approached Yuuki, looking rather nervous. 

 

“It’s very hard to mention this, but you’re not at the level you need to be at for my classes just yet.”

 

Dejected, Yuuki watched hopelessly as the elderly man walked away, uttering a very sad sounding apology.

 

She wasn’t the only one feeling dejected and hopeless.

 

“I’m going to have to tutor you all over again.” Hanabusa whinged, rubbing his temple with his hand. 

 

Something caught Yuuki’s eye and distracted her.

 

After a few moments, she rushed to the window and pushed it open.

 

“What happened? Was there trouble again?” 

 

The two hunters stared up at Yuuki.

 

“It’s nothing.” Kaito replied dismissively, a dangerous undertone to his voice.

 

“But I’ve overheard it already, so…”

 

When they didn’t give her a response, she dashed away from the window and towards the cluster of chattering students.

 

“Excuse me, could I have a moment?”

 

Within seconds, all attention was on her. It was still so unnerving, despite the fact she had been a Prefect to students like these for so long beforehand. It was different now though, she supposed. 

 

“In town, there seems to be a group of our kind stirring up trouble. Will those of you who want to stop it go together with me?”

 

After a moment, a voice in the little crowd spoke up.

 

“Is that an order?”

 

Yuuki blinked, surprised at such a question.

 

“No.” 

 

For another few moments, the crowd mumbled amongst themselves. Then, one by one, hands started to raise.

 

“Then, I’m going.”

 

“I’m going, too.” 

 

“Me too.” Maria agreed softly, giving Yuuki a supportive nod in acknowledgement.

 

As the group dispersed, Rima glanced between them and Yuuki with glimmering eyes.

 

“I’ve known this all along, but you really don’t have ‘charisma’, do you?”

 

Yuuki chuckled slightly at the remark.

 

“Well, yeah.”

 

Outside, the two hunters sighed.

 

* * *

 

Dawn was breaking on the horizon. 

 

Yuuki felt the breeze stroking her hair and took a deep breath. 

 

She knew he was watching her. 

 

Slowly, she turned to face him. He was quite a distance away, but his lavender eyes captured her determined ones almost instantly. 

 

They both had things to say to each other, yet neither could find the words, nor the will to move their bodies towards one another. Yuuki opened her mouth, her breath hitched in her throat, but before she can try to say anything they’re interrupted once more.

 

Kaito stalks over to Zero and plants a firm hand on his shoulder, forcing him to break his gaze. 

 

“Let’s go Zero, even though it’s unpleasant having the assistance of vampires.” He growled, shooting a dark look at the Pureblood teen from the corner of his eye.

 

Zero shook his head slightly, then turned away and began to walk down another street, Kaito following close by.

 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, already suspecting the answer.

 

“Nothing,” Zero replied, “nothing at all.” 

 

Kaito knew better. Zero knew that he knew better. Still, he wouldn’t be honest for now. After all, Kaito understood now, his honesty was vulnerability, and he couldn’t afford to be vulnerable.

 

Not in front of his ‘insurance’.

 

_Zero wasted no time when he got back to his small makeshift home. He strode over to a closet, that had a chair purposefully blocking it, and tossed the four legged obstacle aside._

 

_Kaito, perplexed by his behaviour, watched him from the doorframe with curious honey brown eyes._

 

_The rattling of pills in a small box alerted Kaito, giving him the answer to Zero’s strange behaviour._

 

_“What did you come here for, Kaito?” Zero bit out, his voice gruff with fatigue._

 

_“You’ve been hunting alone, haven’t you?”_

 

_No response came, only the small pop of the box lid opening._

 

_“We were ordered not to do that, it’s dangerous.”_

 

_“I was given no such orders.”_

 

_Kaito humphed at that, but didn’t argue it further. His eyes drifted across the small space, and he almost chuckled. For someone so revered by the Hunter Society, it was strange he lived in such conditions._

 

_He crossed the room and sat down on the rather uncomfortable cot, but something under his foot felt lumpy._

 

_It was the strap of a bag._

 

_Kaito reached down and pulled at the strap, tugging a large satchel from under the cot. He could see what appeared to be a book and lots of letters peeping through the gaps of the tattered flap._

 

_“What do we have here? Some extra detective work?”_

 

_Zero seemed to be at his side in a flash, snatching the bag away and taking it to be put into the closet._

 

_“Never you mind that. You know, you’re beginning to overstay your welcome.”_

 

_Kaito rolled his eyes at that. He leaned back._

 

_“You know, Zero, you-”_

 

_His hand rested on something firm. It was beneath the pillow. What else was he hiding?_

 

_Curious, he lifted the pillow, only to see a small pistol. He recognised that pistol._

 

_“What’s this?”_

 

_Zero seemed to know what he had now discovered, but made no effort to respond this time._

 

_“Why do you have a small pistol under your pillow? Isn’t this a discontinued model that the Association doesn’t use any longer?” He pressed, a sense of urgency building in his tone._

 

_Still, no response came. Zero lifted the pill box into the air and heartily consumed at least half a dozen tablets._

 

_“You’re eating too much, what’s going on?”_

 

_“Did you only come here to snoop through my stuff and give me a lecture?”_

 

_Kaito frowned deeply._

 

_“Don’t forget that I’m a hunter too, I know the way vampires behave.”_

 

_The silence was too much. Kaito found himself on his feet and charging at Zero. He grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the closet._

 

_“Tell me what’s with the gun! Tell me before you repress everything and it becomes too late to fix anything! When you’re emotionally unstable, that becomes my problem!” He yelled, desperately searching Zero’s eyes for some semblance of understanding or guilt._

 

_After a moment of calm, Kaito lowered his voice._

 

_“I’ve been watching you ever since I was assigned here. I tried instigating you to see your reactions. There’s no doubt you’d be an ideal Association President, you don’t let anything slip by. But you’re emotionally unstable, you just hide it under the surface, to a point where it’s unbelievable that you can be so calm. Don’t you realise that?”_

 

_Zero closed his eyes._

 

_“I don’t actually feel any of what you described. As for the pistol, there was a human girl that had special abilities which allowed her to use hunter weapons. I had her carry that gun as ‘insurance’, just in case. When that gun was no longer necessary and the girl was gone, I found it in my dorm room. On nights when the urge to kill vampires is difficult to resist, the gun calms me down somewhat.”_

 

_“You want to kill vampires that desperately, huh? Even that Pureblood girl?”_

 

_Zero’s eyes flashed with what Kaito could only describe as either recognition, grief or hurt._

 

_“Purebloods are wretched creatures from which only tragedy is born. This is the only truth that will never change. Isn’t it that way, Kaito?” He spat, his expression cold._

 

_Kaito let go of Zero’s collar and took a step back, sighing._

 

_“I received orders sending me to this school, for the purpose of becoming new ‘insurance’ for you.”_

 

_Zero seemed shocked and angered by this._

 

_“What?”_

 

_Kaito decided there were no direct answers to give, and instead gave him the best response he could in that moment._

 

_“We have difficult times ahead, what with the chaos set about by the Purebloods. We have to make sure to catch them by the tail and find out what they are doing. Even if that means playing along with their games for a while.”_


	31. A Dangerous Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria offers help to an unlikely person. Meanwhile, as one game of cat and mouse comes to an end, Yuuki is warned of a far more dangerous game that she's stepping into. Akatsuki continues to guard Kaname and Ruka, although faith is beginning to waver in the latter. Sara makes her move through Takuma.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 72.

 

 

Maria had been wandering alone for a while now. 

 

The streets were quiet, but that was to be expected. It was still an early hour for humans. Her eyes drifted upwards, skimming over rooftops and drinking in the skies.

 

Then, she caught a scent. 

 

It wasn’t a vampire. It was probably, no, _certainly_ a hunter. She tiptoed off down a side street, and then another, following the trail, and peeped around the corner. They were close. If the hunter was going a certain route, maybe she could help to cover the tracks that they didn’t cover. 

 

“Enjoying the chase?” A gruff voice came from behind, startling her. 

 

She turned quickly, spinning around on dainty feet, to face Kaito.

 

He looked annoyed by something, but somehow she didn’t think she was the cause of his mood. Still, the intensity in his eyes told her that he definitely did not take kindly to vampires. 

 

“I smelled a hunter and thought they might want some assistance.” She said earnestly.

 

“Well, you found one, and I don’t. We don’t need the ‘assistance’ of vampires.” He replied shortly, turning away from her.

 

“Zero-kun is a highly esteemed hunter, but he is also a vampire, isn’t he?” 

 

He glared angrily over his shoulder at her, but refused to rise to the bait. He had a job to do. 

 

“Play your games elsewhere, vampire.” 

 

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he began to walk away.

 

“Wait, please, I’m sorry!” Her voice came after him, filled again with earnest and some sorrow.

 

He stopped. She had no power over him, yet he found his feet planted to the ground as he heard her out.

  
“I can help you.”

 

* * *

 

The auction hall was livelier than it had been in a long time. They had Kaname Kuran to thank for that, the chaos allowed them to slip by in the shadows and conduct their auctions with better offerings than ever before. 

 

“Now, let’s get this auction started!” The auctioneer boomed, raising his arms in a grand gesture. 

 

“Today’s feature is the ‘water of life’ flowing through this young maiden.” He motioned to the comatose body on the table.

 

“She’s 20 years old, healthy in body and mind, uncontaminated-”

 

The door slammed open.

 

“This is bad! The hunters have found us!”

 

On the rooftop of the building, her hair twisting as the breeze picked up, was Yuuki. She’d been waiting for a while, clinging to a scent that was somewhere in a nearby building. 

 

The scent became stronger and her eyes fluttered open.

 

“Here he comes.” She mumbled, bracing herself. 

 

After a few seconds, she leapt from the roof.

 

She landed on her feet, right in front of the auctioneer. He stumbled to a stop, a gasp escaping his lips.

 

“You won’t get away.” Yuuki warned.

 

“Who are _you_?” The man scoffed, starting to take a few steps back.

 

Suddenly, he grabbed a vase and threw it at Yuuki, who dodged it with relative ease. Within seconds, Artemis was in her hands and the curve of its blade pinned the auctioneer to the wall.

 

“No,” she growled, “I will not let you get away.” 

 

Out of seemingly nowhere, a pocket knife was held to Yuuki’s throat.

 

“Release my boyfriend.” 

 

Yuuki spared a side glance at the woman, perplexed.

  
“You’re a human, aren’t you one of his victims?” 

 

The auctioneer seemed visibly distressed by her presence.

 

“You idiot! I told you to run away earlier! You’ll be caught!” 

 

“Aren’t you the one who’ll be in more danger if you’re caught? Besides you said that you needed me, right?” The woman argued desperately, withdrawing the knife from Yuuki’s neck.

 

The click of a gun alerted Yuuki to Zero’s presence, but the shot fired before she could protest.

 

Within a matter of seconds, the auctioneer was reduced to dust. His girlfriend screamed and then promptly fainted, collapsing on the floor in a heap. 

 

After a moment of shock, Yuuki looked at Zero with a disapproving frown.

 

“You could have detained him alive. Instead, you shot him without batting an eyelid.”

 

“You’re as soft on vampires as ever.” He simply noted.

 

A few seconds passed, then Zero began to walk forward. He stood in front of Yuuki, his eyes boring into hers. He suddenly grabbed her arm.

 

“If you don’t like the way I do things,” he spoke softly, bringing her arm upwards, “you still have the bracelet on your wrist, don’t you? Use it. Force me to submit.”

 

He held her sleeved arm up against his tattoo, pointing to it with his index finger, a small smile ghosting his lips.

 

“The taming spell still works.”

 

The back of her hand slowly drifted downwards. She could feel the thrum of his veins, the rush of his blood against his skin. 

 

It was too much.

 

She snatched her arm away, grasping it with her other hand.

 

“I won’t need to, that’s only for Level E.” She bit out, refusing to meet his gaze. 

 

_Why did it have to be this way?_

 

He began to walk away.

 

“I wanted to talk to you.” Yuuki exclaimed, shutting her eyes tightly.

 

The footsteps stopped, indicating that he had heard her and decided against walking away.

 

“I know that we are enemies. I know that what happened a year ago will never change. However, we both are fighting the same battle here.”

 

Her eyes opened and lifted to meet his lavender ones once more. He’d stepped closer once again, only a comfortable distance left between them now.

 

“I know that our end goals may be different, but for now I want us to work together on civil terms.”

 

“Is this part of your obligations as a Pureblood?” He asked, a sting of bitterness in his tone.

 

“No, this is what I want to do as the Yuuki I am now and the Yuuki I always will be.” 

 

They held their shared gaze in silence, the same determined look in her eyes as the one he’d seen many times before. 

 

Finally, Zero spoke.

 

“I asked you once if you would stand by that man, even if there were truly despicable things you never knew about him. I asked you but then I took it back without allowing an answer.” 

 

“Zero.” She breathed, feeling a deep dread creeping into her heart. _Just what did he know that she didn’t?_

 

“You’re getting involved in a dangerous game, Yuuki.”

 

There was a weight being placed on her heart, one she couldn’t push away. She stood taller, defensive.

 

“Are you going to tell me not to get involved any longer?” 

 

He frowned.

 

“I’m telling you that until you can understand the severity of this game, no, this _war_ , working together won’t do anything productive in the grander scheme of things.”

 

“Well then help me to understand!” The frustration in her tone took Zero aback slightly.

 

“Yuuki, you-”

 

Dainty footsteps interrupted the two. They looked over to see Maria, stood with an air of innocence, scanning the scene with curious eyes.

 

She noticed them and pressed her fingers to her lips, a gesture of surprise.

 

“I’m sorry, were you discussing something important?” 

 

Zero sighed, his shoulders relaxing.

 

“Not really.” He muttered, taking his leave just as Kaito came around another corner to greet him.

 

Once he was away from her and in conversation with the other hunter, Yuuki reached up to her throat, stroking it gently and allowing a soft pant to escape her lips. Her self control was remarkable, considering how thirsty she now felt. It was frustrating.

 

Maria was at soon her side, her eyes on the two hunters.

 

“Ichiru-chan’s brother has changed a bit since I’d last spoken with him.” She remarked in her gentle tone.

 

Her attention turned to Yuuki.

 

“Back then, I never would have guessed that you were that person’s sister.”

 

* * *

 

Lava trickled down from the mouth of the volcano, glowing brilliantly in the darkness. 

 

Akatsuki came into the room to find Kaname at the window, arms folded, watching the lava intently. The window was open, letting in the hot air, but Kaname didn’t seem to mind.

 

“The lava hasn’t stopped flowing for quite some time, will it be alright?” Akatsuki asked, breaking the silence. 

 

“Just this much won’t change the climate. At most, this region’s terrain will become barren.” 

 

Akatsuki shook his head.

 

“No, rather, Ruka was concerned that this mansion might be engulfed by it eventually.” 

 

He heard a chuckle escape Kaname’s lips, his lips curled into a knowing smile.

 

“She won’t be here. When that happens, she won’t be here.”

 

Kaname glanced over his shoulder when Akatsuki failed to respond.

 

“It’s alright, I’ll make her leave before that happens. Even if she refuses, by all means…” he trailed off, averting his gaze once more.

 

“Yes, if that doesn’t happen, I’ll be the one to give you the final word. No matter what.”

 

They both knew that Ruka had been different since what had happened to Hanabusa’s father. In truth, Akatsuki had been in that state of mind for a lot longer. However, as long as Ruka laid faith in Kaname, Akatsuki would be there as a guard for her and, by extension, Kaname.

 

And as the man at the window gave Akatsuki a sincere smile, he acknowledged that Kaname knew that much anyway. They had an understanding that never needed to be verbalised.

 

“So, where will be next?” Akatsuki asked, feeling the presence of Seiren in the room.

 

“Kaname-sama.” Seiren bowed obediently.

 

Kaname gave the two a thoughtful stare, then reached out and rested his hand on the fireplace beside the window. 

  

* * *

 

A sleek, expensive car pulled up at the Academy. One of the doors opened and the passenger stepped out, taking in a deep breath of the evening air.

 

As his chauffeur gathered his things, Takuma felt unease stirring inside his stomach. 

 

Yuuki may have known where Takuma was, but he wondered if she knew why he was there. Perhaps not, otherwise Sara likely wouldn’t take the risk. But then again, perhaps that’s _why_ she was taking the risk.

 

Either way, he found himself walking up the familiar path, the weight in his pocket a reminder of his task.


	32. Blood Tablets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takuma breaks some horrifying news to Yuuki, while Sara concocts a suspicious new tablet for vampire consumption. At the end of her tether, Yuuki finally changes her path to the preferred direction.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 72 & 73.

 

“We’ve received word here too. The mausoleum where the Hiou family’s former head was sleeping has been violated. Although the nobles serving the family rushed to the scene, by then he’d already turned to dust.”

 

Kaien looked increasingly pensive and, for the first time, a lot older. He cradled his head in his hand as he spoke, not making direct eye contact with the figure in the room with him.

 

“They witnessed a person leaving the scene, too.” 

 

Neither needed to say who it was, but the silence was broken anyway.

 

“It was Kaname, wasn’t it?” Takuma asked, his eyes trained on the Chairman for a reaction. 

 

With a resigned sigh, Kaien nodded. 

 

“I’d like to do right by this Academy and lead the Night Class in his stead, as per what was requested of me in the letter.” 

 

“I’m glad to hear it.”

 

A small knock at the door came, and Yuuki’s face popped around it with curious eyes.

 

“Ah, Yuuki-chan, good evening.” Takuma greeted, a kind smile gracing his features.

 

Yuuki allowed herself into the room and straightened up, returning his smile.

 

“Good evening, Ichijou-senpai, thank you for coming here.” 

 

As she spoke, she noticed his eyes were elsewhere, as though following something behind her. When she made to look, he cleared his throat and caught her attention once more. She noticed the sudden change in his expression, his mouth a thin line where the smile once was.

 

“Yuuki-chan, I’m not just here for the sake of the Night Class, although it’s an honour to perform such a duty.” 

 

Her brows knitted together slightly, confused.

 

“I want to ensure protection for someone important to me, for Sara Shirabuki.” 

 

Yuuki’s eyes flashed with recognition. That woman at the banquet, who smelt of fresh blood, one that Kaname had seemingly known quite well but seldom spoke about.

 

“There are hunters who are monitoring her, taunting her whenever she goes anywhere, but they should be focusing their efforts elsewhere! She’s an innocent victim who is in danger!”

 

“Ichijou-senpai-”

 

“Kaname was the one who killed Ouri-sama at the banquet.”

 

She was sure her heart could be heard thudding to the bottom of her chest as the words escaped Takuma’s lips. He sounded frantic where he was usually always so composed, and for such an accusation to come from Kaname’s closest friend…

 

“How can you be sure? Did you witness the moment it happened?”

 

Takuma swallowed, then took a step forward. Yuuki felt smaller and smaller in the little room.

 

“Yuuki-chan, I wouldn’t say something like this unless I felt it was the truth.”

 

All she wanted to do in that moment was run, far away from everything, drowning out the noise in the rushing sounds of the breeze as it swept past her ears and twirled through her hair. 

 

Yet here she stood, taking the impact of his words as an anchor that chained her to the spot.

 

“I believe Sara-san is safe for now, but that may not be the case soon. If so, I want her to be guaranteed refuge here at the Academy.”

 

“And I suppose you want the hunters not to monitor her any longer?” Kaien finally interjected, his glasses gleaming in the light of the room, the expression on his face betraying nothing.

 

Takuma whirled around and bit out words Yuuki never thought she’d hear from him.

 

“I want them to do their job and hunt down Kaname before he can hurt anyone else.”

 

Yuuki felt sick to her stomach for the first time in a long time.

 

On the wall above the trio, slowly spinning its web, was an all too familiar Black Widow spider.

 

* * *

 

Sara curled up in her four poster bed, surrounded by pillows and adoring girls who watched her every move with eyes that gleamed in the candlelight. Yukari rested her head on Sara’s shoulder, staring at the little tablet between Sara’s fingers.

 

“That’s right, this is a new blood tablet.” 

 

A slender girl beside the bed was given the tablet and graciously accepted it from Sara.

 

“What’s your impression? How is it?” Sara purred. 

 

The girl blushed, a smile plastered on her face. 

 

“It tastes very nice.” 

 

The blonde woman giggled.

 

“That’s good. It was worth asking the President to develop it. I’m sure everyone will be delighted, the credit all goes to the President.”

 

Elsewhere, a little spider was sat on the President’s shirt collar and seemed to speak to him, but only he could hear it.

 

“It’s an honour, Sara-sama. It will be quite beneficial for us to be able to advance the production of blood tablets.” He said in a cheery tone, watching over the production line keenly.

 

“Start working your tails off, heh heh.” Sara cooed in response, a smirk playing on her lips. 

 

Takuma, after all, would be a crucial key to that advancement. 

 

* * *

 

Yuuki’s fists slammed down into the blanket with such force that it caused the feathers inside her bedding to break free and float about her trembling figure. 

 

All she wanted, no, all she _needed_ was for time to just stop. Even if it was just for a second, she was desperate. 

 

“What are you doing, Kaname?!” She cried out, her voice raw with emotion.

 

“If this is true, then stop it!” 

 

Her hands tightly clutched the bedding, her body electric with sudden thirst. She jolted backwards, hands clasping at her throat. 

 

After a moment, her eyes rested on the tablets beside her bed. Time wouldn’t stop, and the fact she was a vampire would never go away. 

 

With a gentle sigh, Yuuki got to her feet and opened the lid of the tablet box. She tentatively lifted the little pills to her lips, pausing just a second before popping them into her mouth. As her senses were flooded, she was reminded of yet another lesson she had been taught once. 

 

_Blood tablets are created from a composite of various types of cultured hematopoietic stem cells._

 

It made her wonder where those cells came from, for in that moment she felt the presence of countless people without faces. Countless people who were, as far as she knew, willing donors or donated blood posthumously. 

 

How many more people would die because of vampires, or to aid the vampires who hurt their kind?Unless she stepped up and did something for those people, she was no better. That’s why she had to know as much of the truth as she could, even if it was painful. 

 

Yuuki replaced the lid on the tablets and left her room, heading to a place where she had an inkling _he_ would be.

 

* * *

 

As was the usual routine, Zero found himself stood not far from the Night Class building, leaning against one of the trees. It was silent, there wasn’t even a breeze, but the air was still cool enough to create a fog from his breath. 

 

The scent of an approaching vampire caught his attention. He knew who it was, he sensed her presence and felt assured that it was just her.

 

Sure enough, Yuuki came to a hesitant stop a few feet from him, her figure illuminated by the moonlight. There was dissatisfaction in her expression, and an unmistakable look of hunger. After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke.

 

“I wanted to stand by him, even knowing some of the despicable acts he committed. I felt that I should fall down into that sin with him, that it was all a burden that I contributed to, that he shouldn’t shoulder it alone.”

 

Her voice wavered on the last word, Zero noticed.

 

“However,” she continued, firming her tone once more, “I cannot allow things to continue the way they are. Truthfully, there’s a lot I don’t know and I don’t know if I ever will know. Even so, though, I want to know as much as I can know, I want to understand and fight this battle for the sake of the dream I’ve held onto from the beginning.”

 

The burning determination in her eyes set his heart on fire, but he couldn’t let it show. Keeping the mask gripped, Zero regarded her without allowing any betrayal of the emotions inside. Yuuki, appearing resigned, finished her speech.

 

“Even if we can’t go back to the way things were, I want us to work together for the sake of the greater good and the innocent people out there who are being hurt. That’s how it should be, that’s how we both want it to be, even if-” 

 

He knew she wanted to make a remark by the abrupt end to her sentence and the biting of her lip.Understanding that she was waiting for his response, Zero sighed, resigning himself also.

 

“Then you have to understand that not everything I tell you or we do is something other people need to know about.”

 

Yuuki frowned. 

 

“I know that.” She replied, sounding somewhat offended.

 

He considered her, rooted to the spot beneath the moonlight, her cheeks flushed and eyes tinged with that familiar crimson hue. She had her hands balled into tight fists, presumably to stop her from trembling. 

 

Zero closed his eyes briefly, shook his head, then looked again at the teen. Without warning, he strode towards her, grabbed her arm and began to pull her into the forest.

 

“Zero, what are you-”

 

“If we are going to work together and you are going to lead this Night Class, you can’t possibly keep starving yourself. Clouding your mind with hunger gets us nowhere.”

 

He let go of her arm once they were deeply in the surroundings of the forest, the trees acting as a canopy over their figures. She watched as he lifted his arm and pulled up his sleeve.

 

“This is for our coinciding interests.” 

 

Fangs sank into flesh, ripping open a wound and causing blood to trickle from his wrist. 

 

“My blood, drink it.”

 

Yuuki’s eyes were immediately drawn to the blood. Her eyes were wide, lustful, her body shivered as what felt like flames stirred from within. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest. 

 

Through the haze of thirst, she remembered the promise she’d made and shook her head.

 

“Zero, I can’t.”

 

“You said you wanted us to work together. I want to work with someone who has a sound mind, someone who hasn’t got hunger written all over her face.” 

 

“But, I…” She trailed off. 

 

_But what_? She was keeping a promise for someone who was lying to her, keeping secrets from her, hurting the people she cared about and killing innocents. If it was what was right, if it would help her, then she needed to let go of promises that she couldn’t keep.

 

Hesitantly, she took a few steps forward until she was stood directly before Zero. She grasped his arm, lifting it up, inhaling the scent of his blood. Her tongue flicked across the wound, licking up the trickles that stained his pale skin. 

 

She felt her fangs throb and opened her mouth, but stopped short of biting. After a few seconds, she lunged for Zero’s neck.


	33. My Relationship With Zero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Through his blood, Yuuki learns more about what's inside Zero's mind, whether or not the two are ready for what's revealed. Determined, she decides to rebuild her relationship with him in any way she can. Meanwhile, Hanabusa decides to try and make himself useful. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 74.

 

Zero wasn’t sure how he got into the position he was currently in, yet he was unable to find it in him to complain or move. 

 

Yuuki’s small frame knelt beside him, her slender hands pinning him down, her upper body leaning into his as she buried her face into his neck. He felt the sensation of her tongue gliding up his skin, savouring the feeling of his pulse. Preparing himself for her to finally bite, he closed his eyes. 

 

But then, yet again, she pulled herself away, her gaze capturing his almost immediately.

 

“Are you going to give up?” He tried to sound bored, to not allow his voice any room to waver. 

 

She gave her head a slight shake in response, casting her eyes downward.

 

“It’s not that.”

 

After a moment, she lifted her head again, and once again he found himself captured within her gaze. She was leaning impossibly closer, her nose almost brushing against his, and her scent was unbearably intoxicating. It _had_ to be something to do with her being a Pureblood, nothing more than that, surely. 

 

“I want to take a good look at the person whose blood I’m going to drink, Mr. Future President of the Hunter’s Association. I’m not simply biting you because you asked me to. It’s like you said, this is an agreement of mutual interests.” 

 

He hummed in agreement, keeping his expression as neutral as possible. 

 

“So now, please help me, I want Zero’s blood. I… I have always been holding back my thirst.”

 

Something about that admission and the suddenly mournful look on her face as she confessed itstirred something inside his heart.

 

“Only a little will do,” she continued, “this is because once I’m satisfied I can surely work towards becoming Kuran’s Pureblood.”

 

Her eyes drifted downwards once more, as though ashamed or deeply saddened, but after a beat she let out an awkward laugh and tried to smile.

 

“I wouldn’t be so troubled if it wasn’t that way.” 

 

With trembling fingers, Yuuki reached up and grasped Zero’s tie. 

 

“Zero’s so calm, yet here I am being so nervous.”

 

He tried not to look at her, he didn’t want to know what she was thinking or feeling in that moment. He couldn’t know, because his resolve was already shaky on so many levels with this maddening girl. 

 

“Just for the moment, Zero, can you not think of anything…”

 

He tilted his head back against the bark of the tree as Yuuki leaned in, her eyes fluttering closed. 

 

“It does not matter, there’s nothing inside my mind that would affect us even if you saw it.”

 

Her tongue was on his neck, hot and slick, and then her mouth for just a brief moment, sucking gently against his flesh.

 

“My feelings died with _her_ existence.” 

 

Sharp fangs pierced his neck, almost instantly drawing blood.

 

“Only occasionally will fragments inside my body awaken and force me to remember your existence. That’s all there is to it.” 

 

He said it as though it were something he’d rehearsed in his mind, and perhaps it was. Perhaps on those lonely nights, starving and filled with feelings of hurt and guilt, he’d told himself that mantra to get him through, to lock the beast in its cage before the morning came and the cycle repeated itself.

 

Resigned, Zero closed his eyes and allowed Yuuki to drink in peace.

 

_Inside his mind, in the chambers that connected to his heart, a human girl’s fragment awoke from her slumber. Yuuki found herself stood in a space that would have been almost completely barren and white with snow had it not been for the display before her._

 

_She took in the sight of the large tree that the girl sat atop of with a wolf familiar, a tree that practically wrapped itself around a thorny coffin, nestled in the middle of numerous headstones. She could hear Zero’s words echoing around her and wondered if he had thought about that sort of line for some time before it was ever spoken._

 

_The girl sat up, and their eyes met. It was her, well, a fragment of her. She was just an innocent 16 year old human girl who wore a Day Class uniform and had hair that fell to her shoulders. From seemingly nowhere in particular, cherry blossom petals began to cascade downwards, creating agentle breeze._

 

_“Don’t worry, it’s okay.” The fragment said assuringly, a placid smile on her face._

 

_“The thing that Zero is most afraid of is sleeping inside here now.”_

 

_More petals fell, and the breeze began to pick up into a swirling wind._

 

_Feeling a presence behind her, Yuuki turned her head and almost gasped in surprise. The figure removed his silver mask and regarded her calmly._

 

_“The one guarding the coffin is only a lingering memory.” Ichiru said, his voice soft._

 

Zero opened his eyes.

 

“Hey, don’t pry into my mind.” His voice was gruff, raw with an emotion he didn’t want her to know he was feeling.

 

He felt her fangs retract and her tongue dashing to sweep away the blood, cleaning up her mess and not wasting a drop. She pulled back only slightly, and huffed softly, her breath hot against his neck. 

 

Then, in a sudden motion, Yuuki clambered to her feet, wiping the blood from her mouth and chin.

 

“I didn’t see much.” She mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

 

“Unlike a certain someone who enjoyed poking around other people’s minds…” 

 

Zero stared at her, confused.

 

Realising what she’d blurted out, Yuuki flushed and began to laugh awkwardly.

 

“It’s not like that, I didn’t mean to say those kinds of things. Zero is…still Zero.” 

 

She was still reeling inside, having seen Ichiru and a fragment of that hunger he’d tried so hard to bury. The thought made her clench her fists, forcing her to clear her head.

 

Gently, she smiled.

 

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to control myself. Thank you.” 

 

Zero rubbed his neck absentmindedly, turning his gaze away from her. 

 

“At dawn.”

 

“Huh?” 

 

“We’ll have our first meeting here at dawn.” 

 

Yuuki felt hope swelling inside her heart, and also something else. 

 

She couldn’t shake the fact that she had bared her fangs to the one person she never thought of ever obtaining blood from, nor could she shake the fact that his blood instantly cooled her mind and soothed the fires of thirst, perhaps to the point of it being extinguished.

 

Behind a nearby tree, standing quietly with his own feelings swirling about in the pit of his stomach, was Hanabusa.

 

* * *

 

Senri and Rima were surprised to see Hanabusa in casual clothing when they were about to start class. They were even more surprised by his sudden proposal, spouted from his mouth with confident hands on his hips.

 

“Are you being serious?” 

 

Hanabusa flushed, puffing his cheeks out.

 

“I have always been serious!”

 

The pair exchanged doubtful glances, but then decided to humour Hanabusa nonetheless.

 

“Even though we’re surrounded it’s still the same, since we are the Pureblood’s subordinates. I’ll go scout around.”

 

“You want to assist our permitted leader?” 

 

Hanabusa huffed at Senri’s question.

 

“That’s right, the current situation is very unfavourable for trying to get work done.”

 

Senri considered his words, and after a brief pause gave a slight nod.

 

“Insider information is very much needed now, Hanabusa-san. However, I thought you said Kaname-sama suddenly requested you take his position, is it safe to leave her side even for a short while?” 

A fresh memory flickered across Hanabusa’s face, and his expression softened.

 

“Well, it should be alright. Beside her, a hunter with a feud against the Purebloods is keeping an eye on her.” 

 

* * *

 

Yuuki happened upon Zero’s path on her way to class. It seemed such a simple thing to happen now, whereas before their close proximity set her into an awkward, panicked frenzy. 

 

He was on his way somewhere, and she had an idea of where.

 

“Zero, there are Day and Night Class people here outside.” She said as casually as possible as she passed by him.

 

“I’m going to handle it now.” He replied bluntly, but even such a reply meant more than she’d admit to her.

 

Without thinking about it, she patted his shoulder encouragingly.

 

“I’m counting on you. I’ll see you at dawn.” 

 

Surprised, he watched as she ran off to class as fast as her feet would carry her, hair twisting and swirling behind her.

 

Once she’d turned a few corners and was safely away from Zero, Yuuki collapsed against a wall, sighing deeply as she slid down it. 

 

“There shouldn’t be any different feelings when…” She trailed off, allowing her one sided conversation to move into her mind.

 

It was just a conversation, after all. It was a completely normal situation. There was no need to worry. What mattered was being able to start afresh with Zero.

 

With their first fateful meeting as mere children now in the front of her mind, Yuuki got back to her feet and rushed off to class. 


	34. Revelations At The Break Of Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaien and Zero find themselves at odds with one another. Yuuki meets with Zero at the break of dawn. Meanwhile, as plans continue to unfold and more questions plague them, Ruka and Akatsuki find themselves in the middle of a confrontation between Kaien and Kaname.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 74.

 

It didn’t take much effort to get the intruding students to return to their dorms. In fact, it was _too_ easy and too quick. 

 

The crunching of footsteps against grass and twigs alerted Zero, giving him an answer as to why he had so much ease in settling the situation at hand. 

 

“Good work Kiryuu-kun.” 

 

“Chairman. Takamiya.” Zero greeted.

 

Kaien offered an easy smile to the silver haired teen.

 

“I can see a little of old Yuuki’s style when she handles things like a disciplinary committee member. I’m very happy also that you are playing your role obediently.”

 

Zero ran a hand through his hair.

 

“That person is acting as you predicted and working hard at the Academy. We are all doing what we have to do.” 

 

“We cannot retaliate, but…initially, didn’t you ignore the restraining orders and wanted to rush out to kill Kaname-kun?” 

 

He’d wanted to kill Kaname far more times than that. 

 

The first time he’d laid eyes on him, breathed in the scent, he had wanted to kill him.

 

When he kept hiding the truth from Yuuki, someone who was earnestly trying to reach him for answers, he had wanted to kill him.

 

On the battlefield, as the dust settled, knowing the human Yuuki had passed away and what remained would be spirited away by that person, he had wanted to kill him.

 

And when he began to read the book, so shortly before everything fell into chaos, he had wanted to kill him.

 

But yet he didn’t, and for now he didn’t feel he needed to.

 

“And now you’ve turned into such an obedient person, it’s quite worrying.”

 

For Kaien to say such a thing forced a smile, cruel and taut, to tug at Zero’s lips. What Zero knew and felt was certainly not for someone like Kaien to know, so he would only let him get a rehearsed response for the time being.

 

“Didn’t Kaname Kuran decide to kill off all the Purebloods? If that’s the case, I do not have a reason to stop him.” 

 

Such a remark clearly upset Kaien in some way or another, although he maintained his composure. 

 

“I’m going to pretend I never heard you say that.”

 

After a brief pause, Kaien turned away.

 

“Being the Chairman of the Pacifism Association means Kaname-kun’s behaviour is not allowed.” 

 

Kaito looked uneasily between Zero and Kaien, as though he was unsure of what to do next.

 

“Even if it is for Yuuki.” Kaien finally added, albeit in a quieter voice.

 

That was enough.

 

“Are you sure about that?” 

 

Zero’s tone caught the men off guard. It was soft yet seething all the same. Kaien stopped in his tracks, turning his head to look over at the teen. 

 

“When it comes to Kaname-kun, yes I am sure.”

 

Zero clenched his fist, willing himself to let things go, but there was a turbulent storm swirling inside.

 

“Well, you’re a bigger fool than I ever thought you to be.” 

An expression passed over the man’s face that Zero decided was either offence or hurt, perhaps even both, but he didn’t care.

 

At this point, Kaito decided he’d had it.

 

“Enough of this. We have work to do, so let’s get to it.” 

 

The stare off between Kaien and Zero was broken. Kaien tipped his head gently, a parting nod, and took his leave. 

 

Once the man was out of sight, Kaito turned his attention back to Zero.

 

“What the hell is your problem?” 

 

Zero offered no answer. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and made his own strides away from the area, with Kaito following close behind.

 

“We have work to do, remember? So let’s get it done.”

 

* * *

 

When the last light was snuffed out, signalling that the students were in their rooms asleep, Yuuki made her move. Despite the cool weather outside, Yuuki shrugged on a jacket over light clothing. Much like she had done many nights before as a disciplinary committee member, Yuuki slid open a window and made a stealthy escape.

 

He was waiting for her when she arrived, something that surprised her. It wasn’t like Zero to be on time. 

 

“You’re here.” She muttered in disbelief.

 

He cocked an eyebrow at that.

 

“I was the one who proposed meeting here, remember?”

 

“Oh, no, I know,” she spluttered, suddenly bashful, “I just never expected you to be on time.”

 

“Ah.” 

 

It was awkward for a few moments, neither knowing quite what to say or do first.

 

Finally, Zero took the initiative.

 

“Where do you want to begin?”

 

Yuuki rubbed her arm, not meeting his eyes.

 

“What do you know about Kaname that I don’t?”

 

“Well, I don’t know exactly what you already do know.”

 

She met his gaze, feeling uneasy. Though she knew she could trust Zero from the core of her heart, there was part of her worrying what she _could_ tell him that wouldn’t…

 

No, Kaname had betrayed the trust of the people who loved him in a way that could never compare. She needed answers.

 

Yuuki walked over and sat beneath the big tree. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she sighed. 

 

“Kaname is not actually my brother.”

 

The confession didn’t seem to stir any reaction from Zero.

 

“You knew that?”

 

Zero paused, then nodded.

 

Yuuki frowned, but said nothing further on _that_ matter for the time being. Instead she poured out what she knew and didn’t know about Kaname Kuran. She was confessing each sin she’d kept inside, feeling the weight lifting with each that rolled off her tongue and into the chilly morning air.

 

Zero listened patiently, his arms folded and eyes trained on her trembling form as she eventually began to cry. 

 

Yuuki brought her fists to her eyes, angrily rubbing away the tears, willing herself to stop crying. 

 

Finally, after calming down, she met Zero’s eyes again, hers red rimmed and shimmering. 

 

A cold breeze swept through the trees and she shivered, regretting her choice of attire at such an hour. 

 

Zero slowly made his move toward Yuuki and sat himself down beside her, removing his uniform jacket as he did so. Carefully, he wrapped it around Yuuki’s small frame, and she gladly accepted it, holding it close to her as she brought her knees up inside it. 

 

It was a casual yet intimate encounter, but it brought Yuuki comfort. 

 

Zero rested his head against the tree, staring off into the distance, as though deep in thought.

 

“Kaname Kuran may be guilty of many things, but…I don’t believe he killed Ouri-sama.”

 

Yuuki peeped up at Zero through tearful eyes.

 

“You don’t believe so?” She sniffled.

 

He shook his head, then gazed down at her.

 

“Do you?”

 

She hesitated, then shook her head.

 

He looked back into the distance once more.

 

“Sara Shirabuki is the likely suspect. I think, no, I’m sure she’s up to something far more sinister.”

 

Once again that same woman comes into a heavy conversation, but this time it’s in a fashion that Yuuki can agree with.

 

“Is a war really coming, Zero?” It sounded naive, perhaps even childish, but she trusted his word most of all.

 

He opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. He seemed to be considering his words.

“I can’t be sure, but…at this moment in time, it seems the most inevitable thing to happen.” 

 

Yuuki closed her eyes, her heart sinking in her chest.

 

“If I’d just been obedient, if I’d done all I was told, if I…” 

 

_If I didn’t have these feelings for Zero…_

 

“No, Yuuki, it’s not your fault.”

 

Her eyes brimmed with tears once more and she let out a quiet whimper. 

 

Zero sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 

“Yuuki, what do you know about the seed of terrible desire?”

 

* * *

 

Akatsuki and Ruka stood before the grand mansion’s gates, staring up at it in part awe and part disbelief.

 

“This is Isaya Shouto-sama’s residence. It’s quite a prudent location for the residence of a Pureblood King.” 

 

Indeed, it was a beautiful building located on the edge of town, in a place that would certainly attract the attention of curious humans.

 

Akatsuki heard the sounds of a quiet commotion and tore his gaze from the lavish abode, scanning for the source of the noise. He spotted a queue of people shuffling down a side street, mumbling and dragging their feet. It was a troubling sight.

 

“You should stay here and do what you are supposed to do,” Akatsuki said, gesturing towards the crowd, “I’ll go check out what those jerks are doing over there.” 

 

Ruka followed his gaze and hummed in agreement.

 

Akatsuki took off at speed, wanting to settle things as quickly as he could.

 

The sight that he saw when he came to a halt and peered around the side street both confused and worried him. The queue of people, it seemed, were not humans, but actually _vampires_. They each held a small bag or pouch, and at the front of the queue they’d hold it up for a man to drop little bottles of pills into.

 

“What is going on?”

 

Ruka stood in patient silence at the gates, averting her eyes from the morning sunlight. She’d dare not admit it, but her heart was clouded with great feelings of doubt. 

 

Before she could lose herself too deeply in her thoughts, a voice called to her.

 

“Ruka, I apologise for asking you to do this troublesome job.”

 

She turned to face Kaname, who seemed wearier than usual.

 

“This place may be quite far back from the street, but it’s still close to human residences.” She told him.

 

“I’ll distract the humans.” He replied.

 

“Okay, make them stay away from here.”

 

The creaking of the gates caught the pair off guard. Kaien Cross stepped out, looking solemn.

 

“I was just thinking that it was the right time for you to come here, Kaname-kun.”

 

The wind swept past the three of them, and the air suddenly felt cooler than it had before.


	35. The Pureblood's Motive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname and Kaien have a tense stand off, where a startling confession is made. Meanwhile, Zero finds himself aiding Maria in more ways than one and Yuuki meets a familiar friend by pure chance. 
> 
> ****Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 73, 74 & 75.

The sky was bleak, sleet filled clouds gathering together in clusters and obscuring the sunlight.

 

Kaname had been expecting to face Kaien sooner or later.

 

“Chairman… No, you’re here as Chairman of the Association.”

 

“And also as Yuuki’s adoptive father,” Kaien added, “I’ve come to tell you that I will never return Yuuki to you.” 

 

His words should have struck a nerve, but instead they caused a smile to tug at the corners of Kaname’s lips.

 

“Yuuki has also started to rely on her own will in order to keep living, Chairman. I can no longer chain her to me, that’s why I’m thankful for you to snatch her from my side.” 

 

Kaien raised his sword to Kaname’s neck, staring at him with hard eyes.

 

“You’re thankful because if you eliminated all Purebloods, she’d become an obstacle.” 

 

“Yes.”

 

Ruka felt the tension in the air and stepped back quietly, her face settled into a soft frown. She wondered where Yuuki had her own free will and rights in all of this, but daren’t say anything.

 

Kaname placed a hand over the sword with ease, his eyes dusted red as they glared into Kaien’s.

 

“If you want to prevent me from doing this, then I’ll crush everyone, even if it’s you.” 

 

* * *

 

The courtyard was blissfully quiet as lessons were being held, and so Zero had taken it upon himself to rest on a bench. Footsteps so faint and almost gentle were approaching him, but Zero was almost fast asleep at that point. It was only the hovering shadow that disturbed his slumber. 

 

Blearily, he stared up at Maria, who was holding a parasol and regarding him with large, curious eyes.

 

“Your reaction is slow considering there’s a vampire stood right by you.” 

 

He frowned slightly, moving to sit himself up.

 

“You don’t notice unless there’s hostility or intent to harm?” She asked, taking no notice of his dark expression.

 

He met her gaze and she sighed softly.

 

“You look exhausted, Zero-kun.”

 

Within a flash of a second, the Bloody Rose was pointed at her, a defensive expression painted on Zero’s face. 

 

“Why is a vampire wandering around the Day Class’s courtyard? Get back to your roost.” 

 

For a moment Maria appeared troubled, her bottom lip wobbling. Zero cautiously lowered his gun again, waiting for her response.

 

“I’ve forgotten my way back.”

 

He groaned, running his hand through his hair.

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

 

And so Zero found himself walking the petite girl through the woods, the birds chirping and rustling around in the trees above them.

 

“Thank you, Zero-kun.” Maria piped up, her cheeks slightly flushed.

 

He made a small, tired noise, like a grunt, in response. 

 

After another few moments of silence, Maria decided to break it again.

 

“You don’t actually hate all vampires, do you Zero-kun?” 

 

Zero was slightly caught off guard by the question, and stopped to glance over his shoulder at her. He wanted to look cold, perhaps even menacing, in the hopes she wouldn’t go down that path of conversation with him. However, finding there was no strength in him to do so, he looked back ahead and carried on walking. 

 

Maria didn’t seem to pick up on his body language, or if she did she ignored it.

 

“If you did, you would have already killed Yuuki-san by now. After all, she betrayed you didn’t she? It might not have been intentional, but she let you think she’d always been human, when in reality she wasn’t.”

 

“I never thought that she betrayed me.” He interrupted, his voice gruff and quiet.

 

“Oh.” 

 

Maria smiled sadly at the tall, silver haired teen. Then, suddenly, she was overcome with weakness and began to cough profusely. 

 

Zero turned to the girl, catching her in his arms just as she collapsed. Her body was trembling, fatigued.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m no good during the day. I’m fine at night because of Shizuka-sama’s blood, but…” 

 

He didn’t flinch at the mention of that woman’s name, scooping Maria up and carrying her bridal style without missing a beat.

 

“It’s only natural you’d have trouble walking out in the daylight. Be more aware of yourself as a vampire.” He scolded, not looking at her. 

 

Things went quiet again for a few moments, bar the crunch of footsteps and the heavy huffs from Maria as she regained control of her breathing.

 

Her small, trembling hand gripped onto the sleeve of Zero’s jacket.

 

“It’s the same as with Ichiru-chan. When I first met him, he scolded me and carried me just like this. For all this time, I’ve been searching for Ichiru-chan, and now I’ve found him.”

 

Her other hand reached up and pressed against his heart.

 

“He’s here, right? Ichiru-chan is here, along with fragments of Shizuka-sama. They’re inside you Zero-kun, I can tell.” 

 

Zero said nothing to the girl, but inside he felt emotions swirling a quiet storm.

 

* * *

 

Kaname didn’t seem bothered in the slightest by the burning sensation of the weapon as he lifted it in a tauntingly slow manner away from his neck. 

 

“I wanted my expectations to be off, Kaname-kun. Why are you trying to annihilate all the Purebloods?” 

 

“For someone who made deals with vampires for all this time, you of all people should understand the most.”

 

Kaien ripped his sword away from Kaname’s grasp, taking a few big steps away and poising himself again.

 

“I, Kaname, thought you had decided to take the path in which both of you would walk together.” 

 

After all, it was the only reasonable explanation for why everything had happened the way it did up until that point. 

 

_Not long after Yuuki became a human, Kaien found her huddled in slumber beside a somber looking Kaname. Though he was only supposedly a few years older, he seemed beyond his years as he sat there. He wondered what could be on such a young child’s mind._

 

_As if to answer Kaien’s thoughts, Kaname began to talk._

 

_“When Yuuki grows up, it’s certain that she cannot keep her ‘human’ status. When that time comes,_

_I think this time will be my turn to change Yuuki back into a human.”_

 

That was the grand plan, a burden on Kaname’s shoulders, to turn Yuuki back when the time came. 

 

But it never came, and once Kaname slaughtered the council it seemed it would stay that way, that Yuuki would remain a vampire and walk an eternal path beside him.

 

Kaien didn’t know why he had the change of heart, which is why this whole situation puzzled him even more.

 

“To tell you the truth, I’m relieved you didn’t go through with those plans, because they didn’t expect that Juri-sama would end up like that. But after changing that plan, is this the plan you choose? Somewhere in her heart, Yuuki still believes in you.” 

 

Kaname chuckled slightly.

 

“That truly suits Yuuki’s style. For now, tell her that I killed Ouri-san and Hanadagi-san, and Sara Shirabuki will be next.” 

 

Kaien’s heart thudded in his chest.  Ruka, who was by now leaning against the wall, felt they were being watched. She turned her head, and sure enough Isaya Shouto was stood at his window, watching the scene unfold with a serious expression on his face. 

 

* * *

 

Yuuki needed to clear her head. 

 

She just couldn’t sleep, no matter how she tried. It was just after noon, and she was itching to get outside. Sometimes she forgot that she was able to now, and the sensation of that newfound freedom was always fresh each time the daylight air caressed her hair and guided her into the world.

 

And so she put on some clothes, grabbed her parasol and made her way out into the forest trail. Normally around this hour the trail would be used for horse riding, but it seemed at first that all was quiet today. That is, until she heard the faint clopping of hooves from a distance away drawing near to her. 

 

Before she had a chance to change direction or even hide away, a familiar voice cried out to her.

 

“Yuuki!” 

 

Surprised, Yuuki turned to face her blonde friend, who was scrambling to dismount her horse.

 

“Yori-chan?!” She responded in kind, rushing over to help her friend off the horse.

 

Once she was able, Yori threw her arms around her friend, enveloping her in a hug. 

 

“You’re terrible, from the look on your face you didn’t come here to see me, did you?” 

 

Yuuki froze, feeling guilt swamping her.

 

“Ah, no. I had some things on my mind.” She admitted, albeit quietly.

 

The pair settled the horse down where he could graze and then sat on the edge of the hill, staring out at the distant buildings and idly chatting to one another.

 

“Since the ball, no… I guess, really, it’s been about a year and a half since we could sit and talk like this properly.” 

 

“Yeah…”

 

“I’m sorry, how have you been doing?”

 

Yori’s honey eyes seemed to shimmer with sadness.

 

“Of course, I’ve been really lonely being left here without you.”

 

Yuuki felt guilt creeping in once again, but Yori then rested her head on her friend’s shoulder.

 

“I forgive you, though. I understand it’s hard because of the circumstances you’re in.”

 

The two sat quietly for a time until Yuuki spoke up.

 

“How has Zero been?”

 

This seemed to pique Yori’s interest.

 

“Zero? Well… he’s been working harder than ever now, maybe it’s because he was lonely without you too.” 

 

Yuuki’s heart skipped a beat and she wanted to curse herself for it.

 

“Do you think things will be like they once were ever again?” 

 

Yori leaned up to look at her friend, who didn’t meet her gaze, and noticed her eyes were glistening - perhaps with tears.

 

“Yuuki?”

 

Seeming to snap out of it, Yuuki rubbed her eyes, stretched and laughed.

 

“Sorry, Yori-chan, I’m so tired that I’m not thinking straight.”

 

She lay back and stared up at the sky, and once Yori understood she wouldn’t get anymore out of her friend, she lay next to her in silence. Still, the thought just wouldn’t leave Yuuki’s mind, nor the recent memory of that meeting at dawn. 

 

And she thought to herself, a silent confession, that she couldn’t wait until they’d meet again. 


	36. Underground Tablets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not so far from Kaname and Kaien's standoff, Hanabusa comes face to face with his estranged cousin. Meanwhile, an apologetic Takuma and Yuuki have a brief encounter while elsewhere hope is fading fast as new, mysterious tablets are introduced to the Night Class.
> 
> ****Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 73 & 75.

 

Hanabusa slowed to a stop in the middle of the street and huffed in frustration. 

 

“I lost track of him.” 

 

He looked around, but there was no sight of Kaien anywhere.

 

“Where could he be?” 

 

Though he thought he’d done his best to hide after spying on the man, who looked particularly solemn that morning, he must have figured out that he was being followed and evaded Hanabusa so suddenly that it frustrated him immensely. 

 

He came to the realisation that Kaien must know of Kaname’s whereabouts, and that a confrontation was likely inevitable. The thought of Kaname made his stomach churn, especially when he reflected on the way he used to behave, blindly idolising the man. _What a fool._

 

A crescendo of voices nearby caught Hanabusa’s attention.

 

“Huh? There’s a party nearby?” 

 

That didn’t make sense, right in the middle of the day? Was there a festival?

 

Somewhere within the clusters of people, Akatsuki stood watching an exchange between a young woman and a man holding a bottle of tablets. 

 

She thanked the man, who chastised her for being grateful, and began to make her way down the street. However, as she passed Akatsuki he reached out and swiped the bottle from her hand, and within seconds she was lost in a blind rage.

 

“Give those back!” She snarled, her eyes burning with fury.

 

He lifted the bottle higher as she clawed at him, yelling and cursing. 

 

The man, having taken notice, rushed over to the pair.

 

“Hey, what’s in this bottle?” Akatsuki asked him calmly, taking no notice of the frantic woman.

 

The man just smiled uneasily and placed another bottle on the ground.

 

“If it’s possible, please accept this too.”

 

As the man took off running, Hanabusa was almost knocked off his feet as he passed him by. Flustered, he brushed off his jacket, and called to the man.

 

“Is there a party here tonight?”

 

“No, there isn’t.” He shouted back, finally turning a corner and leaving Hanabusa’s sight. 

 

The sound of crackling flames drew Hanabusa’s attention back to the scene, where he laid eyes on his cousin for the first time in a long time.

 

“Akatsuki…”

 

Akatsuki didn’t seem surprised to see him.

 

“Hanabusa.” He greeted, the flames dancing in his palm. 

 

Hanabusa sprinted forward, knocking the bottle on the ground over and sending it rolling as he approached his estranged cousin. 

 

“Where have you been?! I haven’t been able to get into contact with you!” 

 

Hanabusa stopped in his tracks before he could step on the lady laying on the ground, clutching at the bottom of Akatsuki’s trousers weakly, making a strange and incoherent sound. It was evident Akatsuki had subdued her.

 

“Sorry Hanabusa. Hand this woman to the society, she’s acting strange.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“And that bottle too.” 

 

Akatsuki turned and began to walk away, but Hanabusa wasn’t ready for him to leave just yet.

 

“Hey, wait up! Where are you going? Wait!” 

 

Akatsuki looked over at Hanabusa as flames formed and began to engulf his body.

 

“Back to Kaname-sama’s side.”

 

Hanabusa could only watch in shock as his cousin vanished in a cloud of flames and smoke. He couldn’t believe that his own cousin was in cahoots with Kaname, given how he’d felt about him. It would make sense, though, if Ruka was with him too. There was no doubt that was the case, in fact.

 

* * *

 

Kaname’s hand dripped with fresh blood. Kaien stood, clutching his arm, his breathing slightly laboured. 

 

“How vexing, I initially thought of helping to send a message to Yuuki.”

 

Kaname lifted his fingers to his chest, where his skin was sliced just beneath his shirt. 

 

“I beg of you, please don’t stop me.”

 

“You expect me to watch Isaya-kun’s family being attacked and do nothing? Is this a sick joke? I haven’t even asked you the reason for all this.” 

 

With those words, Kaien lunged forward to attack Kaname, who briskly backed away and jumped up onto the brick wall above them.

 

“What reason? It’s too simple to put into words. My path may have constantly changed, but in the end my motive has always ended up being the same. Speaking of which, you, as the President of the Hunter’s Association, should not be able to deny my actions.”

 

Frustrated, Kaien leapt upwards, dealing another blow through Kaname’s shoulder. 

 

Kaname, once again, backed away, but something began to change.

 

“I have never wished for Purebloods to vanish!” Kaien growled, glaring at Kaname as he began to dissolve into a flurry of bats.

 

“Kaname-kun!”

 

Kaname disappeared, but a smaller form appeared in his place, lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. 

 

“Damn…I have been used by him…” Touma slurred weakly, blood trickling from his mouth.

 

“You… You’re the Pureblood Touma, right?”

 

Touma nodded, managing a weak laugh.

 

“I suppose I was a puppet used to give me my last blow.” 

 

The world seemed to come crashing down around Kaien as he realised that he had been manipulated into almost murdering a Pureblood. Finally, it struck him that Kaname was truly serious, but what did that mean for Yuuki? 

 

Zero’s words haunted him as he stared down at the frail, bloodied and battered vampire, and he wondered just how much he chose to ignore about Kaname Kuran.

 

Meanwhile, having seen enough for one day, the bird perched high up on the rooftops took off into the sky.

 

* * *

 

As Yuuki closed the door behind her, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and looked up, not expecting anyone to be awake at this hour.

 

Takuma stood on the stairs and smiled sheepishly at her, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. 

 

“Ichijou-senpai, why aren’t you asleep during the daytime?”

 

Takuma, seeming to feel more at ease, continued descending the steps.

 

“Same to you, Yuuki-chan.” 

 

After a few moments of brief, idle chatter, Takuma sat down on a crate by the window. 

 

“I wanted to properly apologise to you for my behaviour when I first arrived here.”

 

Yuuki saw the genuine remorse in Takuma’s expression and waved her hands at him, flustered.

 

“No, it’s alright. I just…”

 

“You didn’t want to believe it?” Takuma offered.

 

She nodded, her gaze dropping to the floor.

 

There was a brief pause.

  
“So you really don’t know where Kaname is either?” 

 

“No.” 

 

Yuuki peeped up at Takuma, who had a strange expression on his face, almost like someone who was lovelorn.

 

She decided to change the subject.

 

“So, where were you going at this hour?” 

 

Takuma suddenly brightened up again.

 

“I just have a few personal errands to run.” 

 

Suddenly, he tensed up. Confused, Yuuki glanced around, and noticed a small spider crawling up the wall.

 

“A spider?” There seemed to be a lot of those lately, but they didn’t look like normal spiders. In fact, they looked like they could be someone’s familiar.

 

Takuma got to his feet, brushing himself down, and beamed at Yuuki.

 

“Well, I best be going, the sooner I get things done, the sooner I can rest.” 

 

Yuuki bid Takuma goodbye and watched him leave all too quickly. When she turned her head to look once more at the spider, it was also gone. 

 

* * *

 

Dusk was steadily approaching, and so Rima found herself awake and sitting curled up on her bed, talking idly with her roommate. 

 

The girl lifted a packet of tablets and gestured for Rima to look at them.

 

“Hey, do you know anything about these new blood tablets?”

 

“I don’t.” 

 

She seemed surprised by Rima’s lack of knowledge on the matter. After all, she was supposed to be good friends with Takuma Ichijou.

 

“My stepmother recommends it.”

 

“To release new tablets at such an uneasy time…”

 

“Well, it was produced and created by Ichijou’s group.” She offered her friend assurance, but Rima wasn’t taking the bait.

 

“But what if this is just a reason to make us feel easier about putting it in our mouths?” 

 

The girl looked at her quizzically.

 

“It seems so rushed, they likely haven’t even had time to try and test it. We vampires have had to sink into human economics and politics, and we must obey basic human laws, but if a human kills a vampire they will be unpunished. To release a tablet from someone unknown at this time, how can we be guaranteed safety?”

 

Rima rested her chin on her knees, becoming visibly upset.

 

“Despite our abilities and longer lifespan, it’s only the honour of Purebloods that gives us protection and binds us. It angers me to think about it, when the Senate could do with utilising what protection we do have properly. Especially since the head of the vampires has already betrayed us.”

 

Rima bit out the last part, her anger and disgust towards Kaname Kuran not even thinly veiled at this point. As she spoke with her friend in the privacy of their room, Rima felt herself beginning to lose all sense of hope. 

 

She could only wonder if Kaname’s sister, Yuuki, would be able to salvage anything from the grave destruction her brother could potentially leave behind.


	37. Yuuki and Sara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaien brings an injured Touma back to the Association, much to the disgust of his fellow hunters. Rima's fears are closer than ever to being proven as Hanabusa brings Yuuki and co. a suspicious bottle of tablets. Zero and Yuuki exchange information at their second meeting, while elsewhere Sara decides it is time to make her next move.
> 
> ****Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 76.

The great door opened slowly, creaking as it did, and Kaien appeared with Touma’s weakened body slumped over his shoulder. 

 

He walked into the building, announcing his return with a sheepish smile.

 

“I’m back, though I’ve brought back a battered Pureblood as a souvenir.”

 

The hunters regarded Kaien in silence, but none of them uttered a word of greeting or concern.

 

Yagari, in particular, was not happy to see Touma.

 

* * *

 

Rima sat quietly at the table with Yuuki, but didn’t seem to want to involve herself in the conversation much at all. 

 

Yuuki looked at the girl curiously, worried perhaps she’d said something wrong.

 

Rima seemed to sense Yuuki staring, and met the girl’s gaze, flustering her.

 

“Yuuki-san, what do you know about those tablets?”

 

“Huh?” She hadn’t even considered the tablets, though she’d heard whispers about a new batch being created. 

 

Rima averted her eyes, frustrated that not even Yuuki knew what was going on.

 

“Shiki has been taking them, and they were recommended to me by my roommate.”

 

Her eyes met Yuuki’s once more, this time her expression was deadly serious.

 

“Are those tablets safe?” 

 

Yuuki stumbled for the words to say. 

 

“I…I don’t know. However, I’ll be sure to do my best to find out as soon as possible!” 

 

Rima sighed, but nodded.

 

Maria joined them at the table soon after, a look of concern on her face.

 

“You know, Zero-kun hasn’t been looking well for a while.” 

 

Yuuki looked at Maria, surprised by the sudden mention of Zero. Remembering the connection through Ichiru and Shizuka, she fought back a creeping feeling of jealousy.

 

Especially when Maria uttered an additional comment.

 

“I wish I could help in some way.”

 

To help Zero would be to sate his thirst. Yuuki knew he was suffering, she could see he looked unwell, but she felt powerless to do anything. Asking him to drink her blood felt like a taboo, after all, there was no certainty he still felt the same way as he did back then. 

 

Regardless, if they were going to work together, surely one day it would have to be a topic of discussion.

 

The door of the classroom opened and Hanabusa made an abrupt entrance.

 

* * *

 

Rima, Yuuki, Senri and Hanabusa stood in the middle of an empty classroom, with the latter explaining to them what he had seen during the day.

 

Hanabusa placed the bottle of tablets on the floor, next to a new packet for the students.

 

“They are probably the same. Akatsuki asked me to look into this, and so an investigation is currently being carried out.”

 

Rima clenched her fists, having had confirmation that something was not right after all. She looked to Senri, who was staring ahead with an unreadable expression on his face. 

 

“Please inform me immediately when the results are out.” Yuuki finally said, concealing her frustration and guilt behind a grim expression. 

 

Right under her nose, something could be harming the students she wanted to protect. She would have to talk to Takuma about this situation as soon as she had the chance. 

 

But first, she had someone else to talk about it with.

 

* * *

 

“What are you doing, bringing a Pureblood back here?” 

 

Kaien plumped up the pillow for the weak Touma, and scoffed at Yagari’s question.

 

“What am I doing? I can’t just leave him to die, can I? This is the safest place to hide from Kaname-kun.” 

 

He felt the raw sting of the wound beneath his newly bandaged arm and sighed.

 

“He said Sara Shirabuki is next. I don’t know if it’s true, but we must tell her to protect herself.”

 

Given what intel they had on Sara by this point alone, for Kaien to make such a statement was enough to set a trigger off inside Yagari. 

 

“Hey, idiot.”

 

Kaien turned his head slightly and almost immediately as he did so his face collided with Yagari’s fist. 

 

“What the hell?!” Kaien spluttered, rubbing his cheek.

 

“I can’t take it anymore!” 

 

Yagari grabbed Kaien by the shirt collar, practically lifting him up off his feet.

 

“Are you being serious?! You could just mind your own business, vampires are killing their own kind!” 

 

“You’re holding a grudge still against that incident from before.” Kaien assumed, angering Yagari further.

 

“No, that’s not the problem. If the Purebloods have this sort of intention, do you even know what they are capable of?!”

 

Kaien didn’t give him an answer, so he gave it to him himself.

 

“They could become as tyrannical as they are against vampires just as easily as with humans!” 

 

* * *

 

Under the large tree, shielded from the upcoming dawn, Zero and Yuuki met once more. 

 

They leaned against the tree, almost side by side, and made small talk for a few awkward moments. 

 

Finally, Yuuki opened up about her latest discoveries, and once again Zero didn’t seem too surprised. When she pressed him on it, he ran a hand through his hair.

 

“Do you remember a woman called Sara Shirabuki?” 

 

That woman, once again.

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Do you think she killed Ouri-sama that night?” 

 

There was a pause as Yuuki considered her words.

 

“I’m told repeatedly that she is innocent, a victim of circumstance, but yet…”

 

It was all Zero needed to hear, and he hummed quietly. 

 

“Well, for a while we were monitoring her movements. It seems since the events of the banquet she has become bolder in what she does and where she goes. Though we don’t know exactly what she’s planning to do, there’s a good chance she’s had something to do with those tablets.”

 

Yuuki rested her chin on her fist thoughtfully.

 

“For a while, Ichijou-senpai was staying in her home. After he came here and claimed she was hiding out and may be in need of refuge, I assumed he was there all that time to protect her. However, if she did have something to do with it, it would make an awful lot of sense.”

 

Zero nodded slightly.

 

“I wonder… no, it’s nothing.” Yuuki shook her head.

 

“What?”

 

“It’s just that Ichijou-senpai was speaking to me just yesterday, I bumped into him just as he was about to go out to run errands. We were talking when he saw a spider. He then quickly cut things short and left. I’ve never considered him the type to be afraid of spiders.”

 

“Spiders?” Zero echoed, appearing thoughtful himself.

 

“As I said, it’s nothing.”

 

“No, it’s worth looking into. It wouldn’t be far fetched if he was involved to have someone spying on him.”

 

Zero leaned up and shoved his hands in his pockets.

 

“Well, I best be off.”

 

Yuuki opened her mouth to speak, trying to find the words. In the end, she looked down at her feet.

 

“Zero, do you still wish for all Purebloods to be killed?” 

 

Zero stared at her silently, his eyes glimmering with pain and something else left unspoken.

 

“I’ll inform you of any future updates. I trust you’ll do the same for me.” He said, taking a slight pause afterwards.

 

“Yuuki, Kaname Kuran gave the Association President a message. He still claims that Ouri was killed by him, but now he claims responsibility for Hanadagi's murder too, and he said Sara will be next.” 

 

Stunned, Yuuki stood and watched helplessly as Zero turned his heel and walked away.

 

The wind rustled through the trees and Yuuki shivered slightly. Then, resigned and sorrowful, she went back to her room and her solitude. 

 

* * *

 

Kaito was in no real mood for conversation, but nonetheless he found Yagari and Jinmu waiting for him when he turned up.

 

“How are those two doing?” Yagari asked gruffly.

 

Kaito sighed.

 

“Who knows, why?” 

 

After getting no response, Kaito ran a hand through his hair.

 

“It’s really fickle, but to make use of those feelings they have for one another…” 

 

Sensing the criticism, Yagari cleared his throat.

 

“This is just in case something unexpected happens. She will do as she is told, and it will be better for us to lure Yuuki Kuran to our side.”

 

“Because she is a Pureblood who has no trouble wielding our weapons, although I have no idea why.” Jinmu added.

 

The two men passed Kaito by, but he wasn’t planning on staying long either. He had somewhere else to be.

 

* * *

 

“I told you, I don’t know what she knows other than the fact that she doesn’t know where Kaname is.” 

 

Sara regarded Takuma with suspicious eyes. He looked like his grandfather so much in that moment, and she hated it. She grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her properly.

 

“Drink my blood.”

 

“No, thank you.” 

 

She giggled at that.

 

“You cannot disobey me, yet you still try to say such a thing.”

 

He grimaced as her body pressed up against his, her perfume flooding his senses with the sickly sweet smell. 

 

“No matter what she finds out, at this point whatever she does will only serve to keep her busy and distract her from the main event. Even so, I need you to continue being obedient for me.”

 

Her fingers trailed up to his lips, tracing the outline as her own lips parted. He felt lust coursing through his veins, primal and raw, but his restraint was strong.

 

The blonde woman stepped back then, turning away from him as she walked over to the window.

 

“Be a dear and get the car ready. There is someone I wish to pay a long overdue visit to.” 


	38. Terrible Seeds of Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The true extent of Kaname's darkness and the terrible seed of desire slowly starts to unravel itself. Yuuki receives the results from the lab. Zero gets an unwelcome visitor and an even more unwelcome secret is revealed to him. Yori and Kasumi come face to face with danger.
> 
> ****Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 76 & 77.

_Yuuki was still a little girl back then._

 

_The black car pulled up outside the ski retreat, a black spot against a backdrop of rustic cabins, great trees and blankets of snow._

 

_“I heard Yuuki hurt herself while playing on the sleigh, although Cross-Oujisama called.” Kaname said rather simply, resting his chin on his hand._

 

_Surprised by Kaname’s lack of concern, Takuma peered out the window, looking for the little girl._

 

_“Is she doing alright?”_

 

_“Yuuki’s not here. It seems they lied to get me to come here.”_

 

_Relaxed, Takuma leaned back into his seat, then gave Kaname an easy smile._

 

_“Is it? If the injury isn’t real then that’s a relief, right? But that’s too much for Cross-Oujisama to do. He wanted to try joking with you or have him pick her up? Kaname?”_

 

_Kaname seemed distracted._

 

_“There’s a pair of twins.”_

 

_He looked out the window, and sure enough a young Zero and Ichiru Kiryuu were stood out in the snow with Kaien, who was telling them to wait where they were._

 

_The silver hair, piercing lavender eyes and the sense he got from their presence, no matter how distant, gave him a great and sudden realisation._

 

_“The hunter’s lineage actually gave birth to twins.”_

 

_Takuma stared at his friend, who appeared to be in a great state of shock._

 

_“Kaname?”_

 

_Takuma didn’t know it then, but now he supposed that brief moment marked the beginning of Kaname’s dark plans._

 

* * *

 

Yuuki sat in her bed, holding an envelope in her hands. The results from the Aidou’s lab would be inside, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to open it just yet. She wanted to talk to Zero when she opened it, so they could work on things together, as a team. 

 

She glanced over at the bedside table, noticing the cracked resin rose on top of it. Placing the envelope down, she reached over and picked the resin rose up, staring at it with dark, sad eyes.

 

_“Yuuki, what do you know about the dark seed of desire?”_

 

_It wasn’t a term she knew, but she felt there was something familiar about it, though she couldn’t describe it._

 

_Taking her silence as an answer to his question, Zero began to talk._

 

_“They say that the dark, terrible seed of desire first manifested itself in someone thousands of years ago. It’s a maddening state of mind, a total erosion of the heart and senses, a dreadful feeling of despair that obsessively engulfs the object of that someone’s darkest desires.”_

 

_Yuuki looked to Zero, wondering what relevance this had when it came to Kaname._

 

_Zero looked back at her._

 

_“There was only one family afflicted with this, the Kuran family.”_

 

_She swallowed, feeling a creeping fear settling itself inside her heart._

 

_“Of course, the founding families of the Purebloods left alive to this day all had their flaws and their curses, but some feared the worst curse had befallen the Kuran’s. After all, they were the most powerful family.”_

 

_As she had revealed who Kaname truly was to Zero, she already figured out where he was going with it next._

 

_“Kaname Kuran had a terrible seed of desire blooming within his heart before he went to sleep. I wouldn’t be surprised if the seed that had laid dormant inside him for all of that time has a part to play in his current plans and motives.”_

 

_Her heart sank. She couldn’t help but wonder how Zero knew so much, but decided it was a conversation for a later meeting._

 

_“How do you stop it, how can you make it better?” She asked in a quiet, trembling voice._

 

_“When it comes to that man, I… I don’t think you can.”_

 

Yuuki didn’t realise her hands were trembling from how tightly she was clutching the rose. With a deep, shaking sigh, she opened her bedside drawer and placed the rose inside it, out of sight and out of mind.

 

* * *

 

_Kaname found himself stood in front of Rido, who was clutching Yuuki in his hold. His one hand covered her eyes, while his other arm wrapped around her small frame._

 

_“Finally you’d obtained a flower that would bloom for you only, but one day it will be swallowed and wither. Is that fine? Just like this.”_

 

_He watched, powerless, as Rido clawed into the brunette. Her body convulsed and blood spattered as she whimpered and cried._

 

_“You really are merely just a cluster of my filth, Rido.” Kaname spat._

 

_Rido grinned, licking his bloodied fingers._

 

_“I understand, so there’s no need to keep repeating yourself. You are me.”_

 

_Pleased with his answer, Rido disappeared in a cloud of dust and blood, leaving Kaname with Yuuki’s bloodied clothes bundled in his arms._

 

_Kaname knelt down, placing his fingers on the bloody floor, and went to place a gentle kiss there._

 

“Kaname-sama.”

 

Slowly, Kaname opened his eyes, and turned his head to look wearily over at Seiren. She was stood not far from where he was laying on the couch, clutching a pillow to his head, having dozed off.

 

“I see that you’ve had a rare dream. I called out to you, as it seemed it wasn’t a good one.” 

 

Resigned, Kaname turned his gaze to the ceiling as Seiren continued.

 

“After all, there are many things awaiting you that have to be done soon.” 

 

* * *

 

Zero didn’t know why Night Class students would be hiding deep in the forest, but they weren’t supposed to be in that particular area, not while the students of the Day Class had lessons.

 

However, the closer he got to the area of the offending students, the sooner he realised that one was a Pureblood, and it was not Yuuki. 

 

“Oh, you’ve found us. You really are a good dog.” Sara giggled in greeting, bringing her fingers to her lips.

 

Zero lifted his gun at her defensively, uncaring that Takuma was stood at her side.

 

“You have no place being here, Pureblood.”

 

“And for now I have no need to be here, I merely wanted to pay a visit to the Hunter Association’s next prodigy child.” 

 

“What do you want?” 

 

Sara gave Takuma her parasol and approached Zero, taking no notice of his gun.

 

“I have a secret, something I haven’t been able to tell Yuuki-san, but I think you should hear it first.”

 

She leaned up on her tiptoes, bringing a hand upwards, and whispered something close to Zero’s ear. 

 

Takuma couldn’t hear what she had whispered, but judging by the look of sheer horror on Zero Kiryuu’s face, he knew it was something devastatingly bad. 

 

After a few moments of silence, Zero cradled his head in his hand.

 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

 

She backed away, returning to Takuma’s side and retrieving her parasol.

 

“When the time is right, I think you’ll know the best course of action to take. We both have a common interest at this point, a shared need for vengeance against the man who wronged us, so keep that in mind.”

 

With a small wave and a sultry smile, Sara turned and left with Takuma, and once she was out of sight Zero turned and slammed his fist against a nearby tree, still reeling from her shocking revelation. 

 

* * *

 

Yori was on her way to the last class of the day when she noticed Kasumi Kageyama trying to escape through a window.

 

“Class President? Our class is this way.” 

 

Kasumi cringed, having been caught out. He looked at Yori with pleading eyes.

 

“Wakaba-san, please overlook this!”

 

But she wouldn’t.

 

* * *

 

 

“I didn’t think you’d want to go to the Night Class student dorm.” She said, following close behind Kasumi as he walked ahead, determined. 

 

Though she didn’t say it aloud, she figured his memories must have been erased much like everyone else’s. 

 

“You too, why did you tag along?” 

 

“I want to meet up with my friends too.”

 

This surprised Kasumi.

 

“You have friends there?!”

 

She nodded.

 

“Yup, Zero-kun is probably very aware of what’s going on in there, but he’s never revealed anything to me.”

 

Kasumi scratched his chin thoughtfully.

 

“Kiryuu… Indeed… That guy has been hanging out with a girl wearing a white uniform whom I’ve never seen before.”

 

Now it was Yori’s turn to be surprised.

 

“It took place when I was out for a morning walk in the Forest of Philosophy. Seeing that girl, wearing a white uniform, leading Kiryuu by his hand…”

 

He turned to her.

“White uniform, that’s the Night Class right? A different colour from us Day Class. That white uniform, the long flowing hair… Why does my chest ache when I see her? It’s almost like a reunion with your first love.”

 

Kasumi was blushing now, staring down at the floor with his hand clutching at his heart. Yori blushed as she watched him, touched by what he’d seen and what he was feeling. 

 

It must have been Yuuki, but could it have been that his feelings for Ruka were so strong that his memories were never erased completely? 

 

Suddenly, Kasumi noticed a rustling in the trees nearby. The distinctive white uniform caught his eyes.

 

“White uniform!”

 

The two male students glared darkly over at him, and he became suddenly flustered.

 

“Um, I’d like to make an inquiry, you guys are from the Night Class right?”

 

The two started to step forward. Feeling nervous, Yori grabbed Kasumi’s sleeve and began to drag him away.

 

“There’s this long haired girl, do you know her?”

 

“Hey, Kageyama-kun, we should leave.”

 

“Why?” 

 

She pulled harder, forcing him along with her, feeling a sense of dread pooling in the pit of her stomach.

 

“Ah, they’re chasing us.”

 

“Hurry!” Yori tried to break into a light jog, but Kasumi was now rooted to the spot.

 

“Ah.” 

 

Yori looked over to see Yuuki herself, stepping in the way of the two males, her hair twisting in the light breeze. 

 

Kasumi blushed.

 

“The long haired girl.”

 

A few moments later, Zero came out of seemingly nowhere and joined her at her side. 

 

Kasumi’s face fell.

 

“And Kiryuu.”

 

Yori smiled knowingly.

 

“Let’s go, hurry.”

 

The male students looked visibly agitated at the pair.

 

“Can you please move aside, Yuuki-sama.”

 

Yuuki stood tall.

 

“This is my job Zero, stand down.”

 

“Then hurry up.” He replied gruffly.

 

She looked at him, not expecting that response. Then, determined, she huffed and charged forward, grabbing one student by the shoulder.

 

“Hey-”

 

“Why did you do it? You actually wanted to chase those two just now, have you forgotten our agreement?”

 

She snatched the packet of tablets from his hand.

 

“The agreement to absolutely not harm any humans during the Academic year. Why did you come to this Academy if you can’t uphold that?” 

 

The student trembled, frozen, as she passed by and snatched the tablets from the other student.

 

On her way back to Zero’s side, she turned around once more to address them, lifting the tablets.

 

“You guys forgetting about such things is the fault of these blood tablets, right?”

 

The air was cold, tense and far too still. The two male students began to shake, their eyes colouring crimson and their expressions twisting into sheer, animalistic panic.

 

Without warning, the pair lunged forward, hands outstretched, with the full intention to attack Yuuki.

 

Even if it meant they’d fight to the point of bloodshed.


	39. Chess Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The attack on Yuuki allows her to make a groundbreaking discovery or two, and she seeks advice from Hanabusa on where to move forward. Zero and Yuuki's relationship begins to slowly shift in dynamic, as Yuuki finally accepts a war is inevitable. Kaito receives a message, and remembers that fateful day when he'd heard Maria's offer.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 76 & 77.

“Give it back!!”

 

Yuuki braced herself for the attack.

 

“As expected! Zero, here!”

 

Quickly, she threw the tablets, and Zero caught them in his hand. 

 

Before she could try to run, each arm was grabbed by the students. They sunk their fangs in through her jacket and shirt, biting deep into her flesh. Yuuki whimpered in pain.

 

The click of a gun made her heart skip a beat.

 

“Zero, don’t interfere! It’s fine!”

 

He held the gun steady, but didn’t make a move to shoot.

 

“Calm down, remember why you came to this Academy.”

 

Slowly, but surely, the teens began to come to their senses. They looked up at Yuuki and suddenly recoiled in terror.

 

“How could I have done such a thing?!” One cried.

 

“No matter the punishment, we’ll accept it!” The other added.

 

Yuuki was dumbfounded. Curious, she looked at her arms. They were sore, but steadily healing. It seemed her blood had helped counter the effects of the tablet. 

 

She knelt down to the height of the teens, who were crouched close to the ground.

 

“It’s okay. Speaking of which, it’s still daytime, hurry back to your dorms.”

 

“But-”

 

“It’s alright. I know you guys meant no harm, don’t mind it.” 

 

She gave the two an earnest smile which faded almost as quickly as it came. There was a spider, right there on one of the student’s shoulders.

 

Carefully, she reached forward and plucked it from his uniform, allowing it to crawl up her finger. There was a soft hissing noise, almost incoherent, but Yuuki just about made it out.

 

_Sara_.

 

With that, the spider disappeared.

 

Yuuki frowned.

 

“Sara.” She echoed aloud as her long time suspicions were finally confirmed.

 

Once the students had safely left, Yuuki turned to Zero.

 

“Thanks, Zero.”

 

She was met with a brief, cold silence and a colder glare from Zero.

 

“Stay away from me.” He warned, before turning to walk away.

 

Her heart sank. With clenched fists, she shook her head and walked forward, reaching to grab Zero’s arm.

 

“Zero, wait-”

 

He grabbed onto her arm before she could touch him first. Their eyes met, his a blood red lustre, and it suddenly made sense.

 

His grip on her arm tightened and she flinched slightly, noticing the pained reaction in his own expression. 

 

Then, he let go.

 

“Sorry.” He muttered, looking away from the brunette.

 

She shifted her weight awkwardly, casting her own gaze downward for a brief moment as she considered what to say next.

 

“I’ve received results from the lab. I was hoping we could talk through it together and exchange notes.”

 

“Later, then.”

 

Though his voice was gruff and short, Yuuki met his stormy eyes with a kind smile and nodded in agreement.

 

“Later.”

 

* * *

 

It took a while for Hanabusa to calm down after the initial panic and horror washed over him as Yuuki told him of the attack earlier, but once he was rational again he appeared to be deep in thought.

 

“Well, given that Kuran blood is the thickest and therefore the purest of vampire blood, it isn’t far fetched at all to assume that it could neutralise and take the control from another vampire.”

 

“And what about those who are turned by the person controlling them?”

 

Hanabusa hummed at the question and scratched his chin.

 

“Well, unless we had a subject to test on there’d be no way to know for sure if the effect would be the same, but I think being turned and having that sort of blood bond… I don’t think that could be neutralised without taking out the Master who turned them.”

 

Yuuki cast her eyes down to the floor, feeling glum. If the Night Class and great numbers of people in town were receiving the tablets, there could be countless others, many of whom could be chained to none other than Sara Shirabuki herself. 

 

“Well, we’ll have to give it a shot. If there’s a way to make tablets with my blood, we could reverse the effects on many people.”

 

Hanabusa shook his head.

 

“The Night Class perhaps could take rations of your blood if I drew some from you, but my family’s laboratory isn’t in charge of tablet production, especially on a mass scale, and we don’t know just how many are being produced.”

 

Her heart sank further.

 

The only company capable of manufacturing tablets in that sort of fashion was the very same company Sara would definitely have her claws in. 

 

After a moment of consideration, Yuuki sighed deeply.

 

“In any case, I have the authority to order a stop to the current production. I should have enough blood to help the Night Class, and even if it’s a small victory it’s undoubtedly an important one.”

 

She looked at Hanabusa, determined.

 

“Please help me with this, Aidou-senpai.”

* * *

 

When Zero arrived, later than usual, he found Yuuki asleep under the tree. 

 

Cautiously, he approached her, noticing immediately how exhausted she looked.

 

Before he could say anything, she began to stir. Her eyes opened slowly and she reached up to rub them, yawning slightly.

 

“Oh, Zero, I’m sorry.” 

 

He shrugged it off and walked over, leaning against the tree beside where she was sitting. 

 

The open envelope was resting on Yuuki’s lap, she picked it up and handed it over to Zero, watching him read the small slip of paper the bag of tablets were attached to.

 

“It’s as I suspected, she has been using tablets to exercise control over people.” She murmured.

 

He sighed, slipping the bag and note back into the letter.

 

“Is there a solution for this?”

 

“Yes, but it’s not an easy one.” 

 

“Of course.” Zero muttered.

 

Yuuki hugged her knees.

 

“But to do something like this, especially on such a scale… I feel there’s something coming that is bigger than any of us could have expected.”

 

He stared down at her, curious.

 

She stared back up at him, sorrowful.

 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the only way to bring any hope for the future back is to go to war.”

 

He seemed caught off guard at her words, knowing it wasn’t something she wanted to admit to readily.

 

Yuuki got to her feet and Zero gave her back the letter. She looked at it solemnly, then back up at him.

 

“I’ve spent so much of my time lying awake, wondering why this all had to happen. I wonder if this is a twisted game for the throne, played between that man and Sara-san on a bloodied chessboard, leaving careless casualties in the wake of their moves.”

 

She smiled sadly.

 

“Perhaps I am just a piece on his chessboard, doing what is expected of me, taking one step at a time until he allows me to see him again. Perhaps that’s all I ever was, and all I ever will be.”

 

After a pause, she shook her head.

 

“Goodnight, Zero.”

 

Yuuki made to leave, when he grasped her arm.

 

She glanced at him, her eyes filled with tears. 

 

He stepped forward and moved his other hand up, brushing her tears away with his fingers as she began to blush.

 

“You are more than just a piece on that man’s chessboard. You are… You are Yuuki.”

 

Her heart skipped a beat, and she found herself lost for words. Though he’d been calling her in the way he’d used to for a while now, it was different now somehow, perhaps in how he gazed at her or in the tone of voice he used.

 

It was almost as if he was starting to make peace with the vampire that was reborn in the place of that human girl.

 

Gently, he let go of her and took a step back.

 

“Goodnight, Yuuki.”

 

She could only watch in stunned yet touched silence as the silver haired teen disappeared into the forest, just as the sun began to awaken in the distance.

 

* * *

 

Kaito laid his things on the desk, tidied up his notes and began to write the lesson prep on the chalkboard. A tapping at the window interrupted him mid sentence, and annoyed he glared over at the offending noise source.

 

A large owl sat on the windowsill, waiting patiently for him to open the window. 

 

With a heavy sigh, Kaito put down the chalk and went to the window. He opened it and untied the little note attached to the owl’s leg. The owl hooted gratefully, then turned and took off into the sky. Kaito watched it for a moment, mesmerised, then turned his attention back to the note.

 

When he unravelled it, he saw a sketch of what appeared to be a woman with the words ‘escaped, possibly messenger’ written beneath it in a familiar font. 

 

Kaito tucked the note into his breast pocket and closed the window, then went back to work.

 

_“I can help you.”_

 

_He wanted to scoff at her, why would he want any help from a naive, rich vampire girl?_

 

_“I may be physically weak,” she continued, “but I have eyes in the sky. I can give you information, I can help you keep tabs on Kaname-sama, where he is and what he’s doing. I can watch over secretive circles and listen in on their gossip without them even knowing I’m there.”_

 

_The offer was tempting. So tempting, in fact, that it had him suspicious._

 

_“And what are you looking for, in return for this? I assume this isn’t from the kindness of your heart.”_

 

_Maria frowned at him slightly._

 

_“I want vampires to live peaceful lives, but we are at the mercy of our Pureblood leaders. Without them, we are vulnerable. Without them, my family is vulnerable, and I’m not strong enough to protect them alone.”_

 

_Her hands were trembling, and she clasped them together, trying to calm herself so she wouldn’t tear up or show too much weakness._

 

_“I want to use the abilities I do have to help you, and in return I want you to guarantee protection for my family should these events lead to a war.”_

 

_Kaito stared at the girl, vulnerable and honest, as she peered up at him with large eyes filled with earnest and sorrow._

 

_Finally, he sighed._

 

_“You’ve got yourself a deal.”_

 


	40. Cat and Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few hours before Maria's message was delivered, Sara and Takuma have a guest. Zero decides to hold his cards close and keep the Association at arms length. Following the triumph over the Night Class blood tablet fiasco, Yuuki realises that Takuma may be in grave danger, and meets someone who only reinforces that fear.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 78, 79 & 80.

_A few hours previously…_

 

“It seems she has gotten loose.”

 

“Is that so?” 

 

Sara giggled, taking a final sip of her tea before setting it down.

 

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Her words won’t change much at all.” 

 

Takuma felt a cool breeze sweep through the room, despite the grand window being closed. He hid in the shadows, lurking there, ready to strike if needs be.

 

Sara relaxed in her chair, seeming undisturbed by the presence. 

 

“It’s bad if I can smell you. On the way here, you ate a Pureblood didn’t you?”

 

She turned her head slightly, looking from the corner of her eye at the shadowy figure of Kaname in the moonlit room.

 

“Although, it’s not a big deal, for someone who has already committed a ‘grave sin’ like you.”

 

After a pause, she chuckled a little, turning her head away once more.

 

“Well, I can only imagine how many grave sins you have committed, despite our Ancestors deciding it to be such a great evil, to turn unwilling humans into vampires. Still, it’s the only reason we’re allowed to live on the same land as humans today, so isn’t it a good thing that war isn’t repeating itself?”

 

Her last words were a purr, an invitation to play cat and mouse, knowing full well they both were breaking rules, toying with lives and dirtying their hands. 

 

Kaname stood in silence, watching as she stood up and gestured for Takuma to come forward. He did in reluctance, and she whispered something in his ear. Although hesitant, Takuma finally left the room.

 

“You’re willing to compromise your safety?” Kaname uttered.

 

Sara smirked at him.

 

“He’ll be returning shortly. Besides, you’re no fool. You know better than to lay a finger on me, don’t you?” 

 

The blonde turned away and began to undress. Her skirt and blouse fell to a heap at her feet, her long, thick hair shielding her dignity as she slipped on her dressing gown. 

 

Takuma returned then, a bucket containing what appeared to be red wine and two glasses in one of his hands. He set it down and allowed Sara to pour herself a glass, plopping in two or three blood tablets as she did so.

 

Leisurely, she took a sip, offering the free glass to Kaname. He made no move.

 

“It’s your turn, Sara. You wanted to eat more Purebloods, didn’t you?”

 

Her eyes glimmered with interest.

 

“Our gracious King has left me spare meals? How generous. I suppose there can’t be many left now.”

 

Takuma lifted his head to look at Kaname, a false smile plastered on his face.

 

“Don’t be foolish, Kaname. Sara-san can take things from here, there’s no need to carry on playing games. Withdraw from this war before it gets thorny and take Yuuki-chan far away. Disappear.”

 

Finally, Kaname stepped forward, as though he was going to accept the glass. Instead, though, he lifted his sword, and was immediately blocked by Takuma. The blade rested against the blonde’s shoulder, a silent threat. 

 

“I’ve drawn your bath, Sara-san, so go and take it. It would not be wise to come forward when he has an anti-vampire weapon.”

 

Unshaken by Kaname’s bold move, Sara lifted her glass in cheers.

 

“Until we meet again, on the battlefield.”

 

Kaname smiled slightly, although every move he made seemed cryptic in some way. Then, in a flurry of bats, he disappeared.

 

Once she was sure he was gone, Sara's arms snaked around Takuma's body from behind, her hands beginning to wander downwards in a tauntingly slow manner, teasing him.

 

"Soon, we'll have to leave. It isn't safe here any longer."

 

* * *

 

The mid morning sun shone down over the building of the Association, a change from the fickle skies of the weeks prior.

 

Yagari was on his way into the building when he heard murmurs of greeting behind him. When he turned his head, he saw Zero, heading in the same direction in silence.

 

“Zero? Were you asked to come over by the Association President? I appreciate your efforts.”

 

The two walked together from there on, but Zero didn’t seem much in the mood for conversation. 

 

“What about the girl?”

 

“She didn’t come.”

 

“I see, even his beloved daughter has abandoned him, poor thing.”

 

He paused, then looked straight at Zero.

 

“I’ve heard that beloved daughter is pretty active in the day, despite the new blood tablets having some issues.”

 

Zero knew what he was suggesting, but wouldn’t rise to the bait. Knowing he was stonewalled by Zero’s silence, Yagari placed a firm hand on his former student’s shoulder.

 

“Finish your business with the President and hurry back to the Academy.”

 

The man turned away, but not before making one last request.

 

“Keep an eye on Yuuki Kuran, make sure Kaname Kuran is not hindered by her.”

 

Zero frowned, but knew silence was best. 

 

Kaien was waiting for him when he entered the office. He stood, giving a kind yet weary smile to the teen.

 

“Kiryuu-kun, I think I’ll be able to make an enquiry if it’s you. Recently it seems neither sides are handing in detailed reports. It’d be good if I were just overthinking things, but… I do get updates from Kaito-kun on a fairly regular basis.”

 

Zero watched as the man removed his glasses, settled back down into his seat and rubbed the lenses clean with his scarf.

 

“I heard that yesterday, Yuuki prevented an attack from students of the Night Class, right? She’s so reckless, but I’m glad that child is such a person.”

 

Zero had never told Kaito that information. In fact, Kaito was elsewhere when that incident occurred. So how did he know? It wouldn’t be like the students to tell and risk getting in trouble.

 

Kaien studied Zero’s puzzled expression, and was about to say something when Zero interjected.

 

“You think it’s better to have more good Purebloods in these circumstances?”

 

Now Kaien was confused.

 

“What? What’s with that?!”

 

Zero resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the President’s dramatic reaction.

 

“I can feel the presence of a Pureblood, here in the Association.”

 

This seemed to settle Kaien back down. He pushed his glasses up his nose.

 

“It’s the Young Master of Touma, he was almost killed by Kaname-kun. It doesn’t matter if they’re humans or vampires, I will not forgive random killing.”

 

Zero wanted to scoff at that. For someone who seemed to hold onto so much faith in Kaname Kuran, it was an ironic thing to say given what Kaname’s actions had caused since he killed the senate.

 

Still, he wasn’t in the mood for a debate.

 

“You’re still the same advocate for peace. Well then, what is the matter you wanted to talk about?”

 

“Who is distributing the shady blood tablets?”

 

Zero fell into a stony silence.

 

“Recently it seems these shady blood tablets have appeared on the market. Yesterday’s attack was due to this, right? Do you have any leads, given your ties to the Night Class?”  


 

They both knew the answer and they both knew the suspect. Kaien wanted confirmation from Zero, a reason to take action. 

 

However, Zero was well aware of what Purebloods like Sara and Kaname were capable of, and for now he wanted to hold his cards to his chest, just as Yuuki likely would.

 

“None.”

 

Kaien rubbed his head, frustrated. 

 

“Really? Well, I feel the cat will be let out of the bag in due time.”

 

“Association President, you do know of Kaname Kuran’s “plan”, right?”

 

“That’s a subtle way of asking,” Kaien joked, “Although I suppose I would’ve said I do know.”

 

“Kaname-kun had once wanted to let Yuuki go, but later he realised it was impossible to do so, and so he took her back to his side. He also destroyed the corrupt senate, but I don’t know when he started to use you as a pawn.”

 

The weary man rested his head on his hand.

 

“I don’t know about the incident this time around, truly. It could be he wants to let Yuuki go again and annihilate the Purebloods.”

 

The expression that had darkened Zero’s features startled Kaien somewhat.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

A few moments went by in silence.

 

“Nothing. It’s fine, President Cross.”

 

* * *

 

“I think that’s the last of them.”

 

Yuuki gave Hanabusa, Maria and Rima a grateful smile. Although it had taken up the whole afternoon, it was a far better idea to give blood before taking the tablets away, it wouldn’t do to put anyone in danger needlessly.

 

There was a brief knock at the door before it opened, revealing a concerned looking Senri.

 

Rima met his gaze first.

 

“Shiki?”

 

“Ichijou-san hasn’t been back since yesterday morning. Have any of you seen him?”

 

Yuuki’s heart dropped.

 

_Sara_. If she somehow knew they were onto her, would she take it out on Takuma?

 

The brunette quickly excused herself and rushed out of the building as quickly as she could, feeling an irrational panic settling in. 

 

She didn’t notice she was being followed until a soft, sugary voice cried out to her.

 

“Wait, Yuuki-san!”

 

Yuuki slowed down her pace to allow Maria to catch up with her.

 

“I know it’s strange to say such a thing at a time like this, but…Zero-kun’s hunger, I can’t save him.”

 

The sickly girl gave Yuuki an expression of such sincerity and concern that Yuuki felt far more sorrow than envy when she considered her words.

 

“I know that. I know that he is hungry. But I won’t look for him.”

 

“Why?!”

 

“Because for now I have to respect him.”

 

Maria seemed surprised by that statement, but Yuuki had no time to argue about it further. She grabbed the petite girl’s arm.

 

“Maria-san, now’s a good time, let’s go!”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I may need your help to find Ichijou-san, I think he’s in…” Yuuki trailed off, stunned.

 

A woman, clad in a servant’s dress with a thick, iron collar around her neck was running out from her hiding place towards the pair, her chain whipping against her body as she ran.

 

She practically collapsed when she reached them, grabbing onto Yuuki’s arms for support. The woman was badly beaten, her dress torn from running through the various terrain on her way to the Academy.

 

Yuuki’s shock quickly turned to worry.

 

“Are you alright?” 

 

Their eyes met.

 

“Are you a Pureblood from the Kuran family?”

 

Yuuki nodded, her eyes drifting to the servant’s neck, where the chain jingled away.

 

“That’s so horrible, who did this to you?”

 

The woman gritted her teeth, uttering the name like it was a curse on her tongue.

 

“Sara Shirabuki.”


	41. Contamination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takuma reflects on his infatuation with Purebloods, and Sara's infatuation with him - or perhaps, the idea of him. Meanwhile, the truth is revealed, not only about Sara - but about Kaname too. Will the truth be despicable enough to change the dynamic in Kaname and Yuuki's relationship for good? 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 78, 79 & 80.

_There exists vampires who are scarier than others, vampires who can make others obey them._

 

_They are rare, and have pure lineage._

 

_Purebloods._

 

For Takuma, it was Sara who had captured him. Yet, as she stood before him, holding his face in her hands, she insisted it was he who had captured her.

 

“I have always wanted you.”

 

To say such a thing was almost like confessing love, but yet it only stirred thoughts of Kaname inside Takuma’s heart and mind. 

 

His lack of response seemed to set Sara into a frenzy. She slammed him against the wall.

 

“You don’t seem to understand, Takuma.”

 

He smiled.

 

“I have to interpret that as a confession of jealousy. You’ve obtained enough information about Kaname from me, right?”  


She stared at him with intense eyes, a woman with a strong will to get what she wants, when she wants.

 

“I’ve told you before. I _have_ always wanted you. You, who were laughing beside Kaname-san, without knowing what fear was. I want to be wiser than Rido and Shizuka both, rather than something like the senate’s fake cajolery, I need the wise words of someone who is willing to rise against me.” 

 

Her words pulled him close and pushed him away at the same time, like tides to the shore. 

 

“There was no one other than me?”

 

“No one.”

 

She was not one to be trifled with on matters of the heart. A thorny rose of a woman, once just a fragile, naive girl who had lost both of her parents. 

 

The answer was enough for Takuma, and he found himself grinning in the dark room. It was enough, because one of these fearsome Purebloods belonged to him and him alone.

 

“You thought you were on my side of your own will to keep an eye on me, right? That wasn’t the case. You’re a moth, I’m a lamp, that’s what it’s really like.”

 

Her words weren’t necessary. Takuma figured it out long ago, it wasn’t simply the instinctual attraction a vampire has to a Pureblood. He has always been trapped in some way, enraptured by the attention. 

 

Sara capturing him only made him realise how entangled he already was in Kaname’s trap.

 

He grasped Sara’s shoulders, leaning in to drink her blood.

 

She closed her eyes, sighing as he pushed her hair back, feeling his hot breath against her neck.

 

“I want a servant who disagrees with me, but is unable to break free from my shackles - someone pitiful, yet understanding. And little birdies that never leave my side for a second. Submitting to me would be the vampires of this world, puppets that will never tire.”

 

His fangs pierced her skin and after a pause, she whispered in her silky voice.

 

“And also, a convenient weapon to annihilate Purebloods.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The name rang through the air, sending chills through Yuuki.

 

Sara Shirabuki.

 

“Please! For the sake of avenging my Lord, please lend me your strength!” The woman begged, tugging at Yuuki’s arms.

 

“She is the despicable one who appeared, disturbing my sleeping Master, stole his heart and ate it, that female fox!”

 

Yuuki froze, her heart seemed to have stopped still.

 

“The one who attacked Hanadagi-sama… was Sara-san?”

 

It didn’t make sense. Was it just a lie? Did Kaname take the blame for a crime he didn’t commit?

 

“Yes, although I couldn’t see my Master in his final moments, he wouldn’t have been killed if it wasn’t for that female fox!”

 

The confirmation sent her reeling. _Kaname wasn’t the one who attacked Hanadagi’s coffin._

 

“You want to kill Sara Shirabuki?” Zero’s cold tone interjected, catching all three off guard.

 

His expression was unreadable, and it worried Yuuki.

 

“Zero?”

 

“I wont let you lay your hands on that woman.”

 

“What? For such words to come from Zero, what are you saying?”

 

The servant woman was enraged. 

 

“If you want to hinder me, then you are the same as Sara, enemies of my Master!”

 

She lunged at Zero, but was so weak that he quickly subdued her, just as Kaito came into sight. 

 

Maria and Kaito exchanged an understanding gaze, and he quickly made his way to Zero’s side. The young man lifted the woman’s unconscious body carefully, and nodded to Zero.

 

“I’ll take her into custody, she’ll be safe there.”

 

“I’ll ask around about Ichijou-san, just in case anyone has seen him out anywhere.” Maria added, both taking their leave shortly after.

 

Yuuki brushed herself down, feeling conflicted and confused.

 

“That woman,” she said finally, “she said that Sara-san assaulted Hanadagi-sama’s coffin. Kaname didn’t spring a sudden strike…”

 

She cast her eyes downward.

 

“I want to say perhaps he isn’t so corrupted, perhaps there is less pollution than I’d thought, but it doesn’t outweigh the crimes he has committed, the heartache he’s caused. Yet still, the foolish part of me wants to believe that it is all a lie, and perhaps he isn’t completely contaminated after all.”

 

With a sigh, she shook her head and glanced to Zero with serious eyes.

 

“I apologise for all of the disorder at the Academy. Once I’ve dealt with this problem, I will stop Kaname.”

 

She turned her heel and began to walk away, but a sudden rush of footsteps caught her off guard. Zero whirled her around, grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her to the wall, an expression on his face of total anguish both frightening the brunette and filling her heart with sorrow and dread.

 

“Zero-”

 

“That guy, Kaname Kuran. Every cell in his entire existence, everything is contaminated.”

 

His grip on her shoulders tightened and his voice raised to a yell.

 

“He destroyed my all! My family! Ichiru! And me…” 

 

As though he’d suddenly realised what he was doing, Zero released Yuuki’s shoulders, taking a step back.

 

“Zero, just what are you…”

 

They both sensed him there. It wasn’t _him_ though, he had no heartbeat. It was just the figure of him, a figure that watched the pair with cold, unfeeling eyes.

 

When Yuuki’s eyes met his, however, she didn’t see the figure of a man who had slain innocents and the corrupt, a man who was broken spirited and alone in his mind.

 

Instead, she saw a child, with a rounded face and big, gentle eyes. The child who would read to her at night, who would play games with her around the house, who watched over her as she grew up a clueless human.

 

That child was _her_ Kaname, the Kaname she knew and loved. The one who grew up to be mysterious and aloof, but gentle and kind towards her. The one who had been her saviour. 

 

She took one step forward, then two.

 

If she had just been an obedient child, if she had just forced Zero out of her heart in whichever way was possible, would things be different? Would there be no war if she was just a better fiancée? 

 

Zero grabbed her arm, anchoring her to the spot, but she was still caught in an illusion created by her own despair. 

 

“You didn’t come to take me away, did you? What did you come here for, now at this time?”

 

Zero’s grip tightened to the point where it hurt.

 

Kaname lifted his hand, as though he were gesturing for her.

 

“Pitiful yet lovely, my Yuuki. You have become a hindrance.”

 

His hand closed into a tight fist and the spell was broken. Yuuki blinked a few times, hazily, and then saw the true figure standing there.

 

“Even with all the effort you have put in so far, you have yet to understand the change in my intentions. You should get Kiryuu-kun to explain it to you, in some ways he is the one who understands my existence extremely well.”

 

Yuuki looked up at Zero, searching his expression with confused eyes.

 

“I…I believed, somewhere in my heart, that you would walk along together with Yuuki.”

 

His confession surprised Yuuki, but only briefly. It was like him, after all. Even if she was a vampire, even if her humanity was a facade, she was always Yuuki to him. She was always the one he’d hoped so much to be happy, to smile from the bottom of her heart.

 

She knew him so well, and yet she could never say the same about Kaname.

 

“Tell me, Zero.” She said, quietly at first.

 

“Hurry up and tell me!”

 

Gathering herself, she shook her head.

  
“Sorry, if it’s something you don’t want to tell, it’s alright.”

 

The air was cold and tense, and Yuuki tried her hardest not to shiver.

 

Then, Zero stated something which made her world shatter around her once more.

 

“…You released Shizuka Hiou from her prison. Why?” 

 

Her heart was ringing in her ears.

 

“Answer me, Kuran.”

 

“…To remove Shizuka-san’s grudge…No, it’s so she would hunt down a certain Hunter couple.”

 

“Why?” 

  
“To plant the seed of hatred towards Purebloods into that family’s twins, with no liberalisation from it until death.”

 

“Why?!” 

 

“To make the twins into weapons that wouldn’t stop until Purebloods are massacred.”

Yuuki couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She couldn’t, wouldn’t believe it. Zero’s voice was so agonisingly pained, so desperate and so broken. It was unlike anything she’d ever heard from him.

 

“Why?! Why us?!”

 

He raised his gun, ready to fire, the thorns of the Bloody Rose forming and cascading, ready to tangle themselves around him and feed.

 

“At least if Ichiru wasn’t dragged into all of this-”

 

He couldn’t finish, his voice was choked with a pure, raw emotion. 

 

The man in front of them was not even the figure of someone she loved anymore, nor would it ever be again. The little boy was dead, her saviour was dead, and what stood in his place was a vengeful, unfeeling Ancestor. Nothing would ever be the same again.

 

Coming to her senses completely, Yuuki placed her hand on Zero’s arm. 

 

Zero looked at her with wild, anguished eyes.

 

She reached up and stroked his cheek, a tender gesture as she struggled to even find the words to say, tears rolling down her face. 

 

Kaname’s figure vanished in a flock of bats as Zero pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly to him, his fingers tangling in her hair. 

 

Overcome with emotion, Yuuki clutched at him, returning his crushing embrace. It was unfair, selfish even, for her to cry when Zero was the one who was the victim. Still, the tears wouldn’t stop. 

 

Of all the lies and secrets, she now understood why Kaname kept this one from her. 

 


	42. Rifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria is confronted by two familiar faces. Zero and Yuuki part ways, each with a plan in mind. Yori and her classmates do some snooping around, only to make some surprising discoveries. Ruka reflects on her role as Kaname's accomplice, while Sara waits for Zero to do just as she'd expected him to do. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 80 & 81.

Maria arrived at the steps of the boys dormitory, and almost blushed at how scandalous it would appear to her parents. She had no time to worry about things like that though, if she could gather intel and even a search party it would be something.

 

Just as she was about to ascend the steps, she felt a looming presence behind her. Panicked, she sent her birds after the target, before allowing herself to turn and look into the eyes of Ruka and Akatsuki.

 

Her demeanour immediately became defensive.

 

“What do you two want? I’ve heard you’re both working alongside Kaname-sama!”

 

It made her sorrowful inside to meet them at such a place, at such a time. They’d never had much of a friendship, but it was something Maria would have considered.

 

Akatsuki huffed.

 

“We are just passing by, we won’t do anything, so could you please dismiss your birds?”

 

Maria’s lip trembled, she wanted to trust their word but…

 

“Hey!”

 

Hanabusa’s voice put Maria at some ease. The blonde raced down the steps, positioning himself in front of the petite girl protectively.

 

“What do you want?” He demanded.

 

“You followed Kaname-sama.” 

 

Recognition flashed across Hanabusa’s features, and he cast his eyes down to the ground. 

 

“I see.”

 

After a heavy weighted pause, Hanabusa lifted his head, determined.

 

“I won’t allow those without permission to do as they please here, even if it is Kaname-sama.”

 

He lifted his hand, summoning shards of pure blue ice.

 

“And even if it’s you.”

 

Akatsuki lifted his own hand, flames licking at his palm. Hanabusa’s ice spread, creating a circle that closed around Ruka and Akatsuki.

 

“Hanabusa, I’m sorry, but I did not come here to be your opponent.”

 

With that, he grabbed Ruka, pulling her close to him. Then, in a burst of flames and smoke, the pair vanished. 

 

“Wait, Akatsuki!” Hanabusa cried out, but it was too late.

 

* * *

 

The cries and swooping of birds were deeply unsettling to Yori.

 

Slowly, she made her way down the steps, her dorm leader following close behind.

 

“I wonder what’s wrong to have so many birds out at this hour…” The girl wondered, staring up at the skies.

 

A bird came out of nowhere, startling Yori, and she screeched, quickly covering her mouth and apologising as the dorm leader shushed her.

 

A moment or so passed and the birds went quiet, all went still once more.

 

“It’s become quiet, I wonder what happened.”

 

“Just now, those birds flew in the direction towards the Night Class.” 

 

The sudden male voice startled the dorm leader this time, and she covered her mouth to muffle her own screech.

 

“Kageyama-kun!”

 

Kasumi pushed up his glasses.

 

“I was thinking, don’t you find the Night Class strange? They seemed weird when I called out to them that afternoon as well.”

 

This was news to the dorm leader.

 

“Did something happen? “Those People” who have come all the way here are supposed to be our allies, right? Just like Aidou-kun.”

 

“Yes, but…” Yori trailed off, trying to find the right words to say.

 

A strange noise distracted the trio, thankfully allowing the subject to be dropped.

 

“I think I heard something just now, from the direction of the Night Class.” Kasumi said, his breath a mist in the cold air.

 

“Yeah, me too.”

 

Yori clutched at her jacket, feeling an unsettling fear creeping into her heart. She wanted to keep strong for Yuuki, her dearest friend, but the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away. 

 

The feeling that humans and vampires simply couldn’t live together peacefully.

 

* * *

 

Zero held onto her like nothing else mattered in the world, like she was about to disappear forever, another loss to break his spirit and his heart into pieces.

 

She was warm and soft and _real_. She smelled of rose perfume, of home, the only one he had ever felt he had since he lost his family. 

 

Though she’d yet to say a word, her body was trembling with silent sobs. 

 

He didn’t want her to weep for him.

 

His hands moved to her shoulders, and he held her away from him at arms length. 

 

She stared at him with large, bewildered eyes that shone with tears and regret. 

 

There were so many things he wanted to say, but he knew there was no time for now. 

 

Yuuki grabbed his wrist before he could move away from her any further.

 

“Kaname’s presence here must have been a warning or a diversion. I’ll chase after his scent, and you…”

 

“Sara no longer has a reason to come to the Academy. If she is seeking refuge now, it’ll be at the Association.”

 

Yuuki nodded, and let go of his wrist.

 

“Protect Sara, then.”

 

He stared hard at her.

 

“It’s okay, I won’t let the same thing happen to me again. I know the weaknesses of vampires, being one myself, and I also am not worried about you, Zero.”

 

Seemingly satisfied, Zero gave her a short nod and the two parted ways.

 

* * *

 

_The smell of blood lingered in the air._

 

_Blood that was the sweetest of nectar to a vampire, but especially sweet to her - at least once upon a time. She had found him there, cradling the unconscious Yuuki in his arms, wiping the blood from her face._

 

_All that Ruka had wanted to do was occupy her time, to help put things right in society, and maybe do some odd jobs here and there for Kaname. She wanted to know just what he’d meant about erasing all Purebloods, having felt it was far from a joke, and decided to ask him about it directly. After all, she was finished scoping the areas he’d requested, so she’d need to make a report back in any case._

 

_“If you truly mean every single one, then how about the person in your arms?”_

 

_“She’ll become a hindrance.” He replied softly._

 

_His words, no matter how gently they were uttered, were cruel._

 

_“Is she someone whom you can say that to, seeing as you seem to treasure her so much? If that’s really the case, why didn’t you just abandon her at the Academy?”_

 

_Kaname idly weaved his fingers through Yuuki’s hair, staring into space._

 

_“That person is pitiful.”_

 

_But so was Kaname, just in a different way._

 

_“And here I was, thinking that I could finally set my mind at ease. You’re cruel, Kaname-sama.”_

 

_Despite it all, despite how cruel and pitiful that man was, she decided to become his accomplice that day, standing before him in the cold mausoleum._

 

“Wait, Akatsuki! We don’t have to run away, if we explained everything to Hanabusa, he will understand.”

 

“I don’t think he will, and I don’t want you to get even more tired.”

 

Ruka shoved Akatsuki away, a look of sharp disgust souring her otherwise elegant features.

 

“Don’t treat me like a weak woman. I know what I’m helping with, and I know the seriousness of the matter has exhausted me.”

 

She took a deep breath, calming her emotions.

 

“But, all I want to say is that, I don’t want you to worry about me.” 

 

Akatsuki stared at her, this maddeningly wonderful, loyal woman, who graced him with a smile despite herself.

 

She turned away, staring up at the building.

 

“This place brings back memories, too. Although, I never went by the Sun Dorms much.”

 

He cleared his throat.

 

“I’m sorry, but we must hurry.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, it will begin soon. The students will fall into a deep slumber, and won’t be able to exit the Sun Dorms. Meanwhile, Kaname-sama will suppress Sara-sama, so I cannot afford to make any mistakes.”

 

Whispering an incantation into the air, Ruka closed her eyes and lifted her hands.

 

Meanwhile, Akatsuki kept a look out. It wasn’t long before he spotted a looming figure in the shadows.

 

“Who’s there?”

 

Sheepishly, the three students stepped out. The two girls were surprised and quite excited to see the pair, but the boy looked quite confused.

 

“I knew it!” Yori gasped.

 

“Wild-Senpai! And Ruka-Oneesama!” The girl with her exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

 

“Hmm? You know these two?” Kasumi asked, adjusting his glasses skeptically. 

 

The dorm leader looked at Yori questioningly.

 

“His memories?”

 

“Yeah, he forgot about the Night Class…”

 

Kasumi began to tremble.

 

“That long, beautiful hair, flowing in the wind. I feel as though I’ve met you before, somewhere…”

 

The student clutched at his head, writhing in sudden pain as he struggled to lift the fog in his mind.

 

Finally, it hit him, and he pointed directly at Ruka.

 

“Ruka-san, I, Kageyama Kasumi, remember you!” 

 

“I don’t know you.” Ruka deadpanned in response, turning to Akatsuki.

 

“Do you know him?”

 

“No.”

 

Kasumi felt his heart breaking in his chest.

 

“Return to your dorms, if you don’t want to see anything scary.” Ruka said impatiently.

 

The Day Class girls looked at their classmate with sad, sympathetic eyes as he teared up.

 

But then Ruka surprised them all, when she suddenly hummed and ahh’ed.

 

“Let’s see…that’s right…”

 

Her eyes met Kasumi’s tearful ones, and she blushed.

 

“For you to recall who I am because you like me so much, I’m really happy.”

 

Even Yori blushed at that admission.

 

Ruka quickly turned away, hiding her bashful expression.

 

“Hurry up and go, scary vampires might attack humans who are still awake, you know?”

 

* * *

 

The hunters were less than thrilled to see Zero, and he already knew why before setting foot through the heavy wooden doors.

 

She knew he’d take her up on the offer, Purebloods like her were just arrogant that way, and so she stood with her faithful servants, waiting for his arrival. Takuma appeared incredibly weary and worried, but Sara seemed the picture of calmness given her circumstances. 

 

Just a few minutes prior to Zero’s arrival, Kaito had entered the building, the servant girl cuffed and shuffling alongside him reluctantly, when both of them laid eyes on Sara. Though she had tried valiantly to break free and attack the blonde, Kaito forced her away, reminding her that the cuffs could activate. 

 

It was a chaotic situation, and Sara wouldn’t have it any other way. 


	43. Break-In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A furious and despaired Yuuki confronts Kaname for the first time since he left her. Sara takes shelter at the Association Headquarters, much to the disgust of the other hunters. As Kaname arrives, looking for Sara, Zero makes a gory decision in order to protect her - or so it seems.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 80, 81 & 82.

“I found you.”

 

He had only just materialised behind Ruka and Akatsuki, but Yuuki knew it was really him this time and didn’t hesitate to make her move forward, Artemis in hand.

 

“I’m pissed,” she spat, “this scene is so serene, with the beat of your heart.”

 

“That’s because I’m a cruel guy, who abandoned you.”

 

“I never abandoned _you_!” She cried, cutting him off. 

 

The cold air was tense with unspoken words, unrecognised emotions.

 

Her voice cut through the atmosphere.

 

“Do you remember what you told me? That you’d rather kill me with your own hands than let me go, or have me kill you?”

 

Kaname’s sword began to crackle with electricity, but he held out his free hand to the brunette.

 

“The weapon you hold, Artemis, is used to cut down vampires.”

Yuuki charged at Kaname, a flurry of emotions stirring up a storm inside her as she swung Artemis high into the air.

 

“That’s right, I will do it with this weapon!”

 

Kaname blocked her attack with the sword, slicing into her cheek, but it didn’t deter her.

 

“I will take advantage of the time you need to regenerate and move quicker!”

 

She realised how despaired her voice sounded, in fact the whole scene was formed from despair itself, but she had to continue.

 

“I won’t let you do as you please, even if I have to tear you apart!”

 

The blood began to trickle down her cheek.

 

“How troubling.” Kaname murmured.

 

“Then, stay true to those words on that day and pierce my heart with that sword!”

 

Their blades withdrew, clashing together once again just seconds later in a frenzy that almost made Yuuki dizzy. Akatsuki and Ruka could only watch on, the latter with her hands covering her mouth in total horror and disbelief.

 

“If it’ll be my turn someday, don’t treat me with half hearted sympathy.” Yuuki growled.

 

“Do it now!!”

 

But Kaname didn’t.

 

Instead, he reached out, tentatively brushing his hand against Yuuki’s wounded cheek, allowing the blood to trickle onto his finger.

 

For just a fleeting moment, she wanted to cry, but she wouldn’t let herself. Yuuki recoiled from his touch, the vulnerability wiped from her expression, and went to swing Artemis once again.

 

“Before your consciousness drowns in a pool of blood, I’ll answer your doubts. Can’t you feel it as you wield that weapon? Killing Purebloods is _her_ desire.”

 

Enough.

 

Yuuki threw herself up into the air, ready to strike at Kaname.

 

“Abandon me as a lunatic.”

 

The blade pierced into the ground, and Yuuki found herself inside of a blank space. Before she could do anything, a cold and hard object pressed into the back of her head. 

 

The familiar click made it clear that it was the Bloody Rose.

 

“He’s a man who did so much to me, are you still going to cling on to him? Even now?”

 

Yuuki turned her head slightly to look at Zero, whose eyes were blank and dull. 

 

A shot fired out into the empty void.

 

Yuuki lay incapacitated, staring up at the barrel of the gun as she bled out. 

 

“Why wont you abandon him?” Zero asked, his voice pained.

 

_No_ , she wasn’t bleeding at all, Ruka had cast an illusion over her.

 

“Zero would never do this to me.”

 

The Zero who told her he would kill her on any occasion in the past, the Zero who pointed a gun at her, they were the same as this illusion of him. It was all a mask, always a mask, but she let him wear it to protect his heart, just as she wears one to protect hers. 

 

Either way, she had to break free soon. This fight was far from over.

 

* * *

 

“What are you scheming, Zero? You must be crazy to try and hide this woman from Kaname Kuran!” Yagari snapped, gesturing at the Pureblood as she fluttered her eyelashes innocently.

 

“Haven’t you heard of the recent rumours?”  


 

“What rumours?” Kaien interjected.

 

“The rumour that Purebloods are unnecessary, regardless of their personality, so if we just allow Sara Shirabuki and Kaname Kuran to wipe each other out…” Zero trailed off, allowing the Chairman to fill in the gaps.

 

Horrified, Kaien stormed to the centre of the forming crowd.

 

“What a bad joke, do you honestly believe in such things, things that a sensible hunter would find shameful?!”

 

“He’s here.” Sara announced.

 

She cast her eyes up at Zero.

 

“What will you do? You can still abandon me now.”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Kaname made his way through the dark passageways, Ruka and Akatsuki following close behind.

 

“Even though it was to stop the two of you, I showed Yuuki a pretty cruel illusion.” Ruka lamented with a gentle sigh.

 

Kaname licked the blood from his fingers.

 

“No, I’m very grateful.”

 

The building came into sight, and Ruka felt her heart sinking.

 

—

 

Zero grasped Sara, one hand on her arm and the other on the top of her head, pulling so that her neck was visible to him.

 

“Anyone who doesn’t want to witness something gory should leave now.”

 

Sara grinned to herself as Zero’s fangs sunk into her neck.

 

“Yes, I’ll lend my powers for your revenge, to eliminate Kaname Kuran, the man who stole everything from you.”

 

Kaname’s hand rested on the main door, and he cringed at the smell of Sara’s blood.

 

“Disgusting, she gave him dirty blood.”

 

Zero pulled away, huffing, blood decorating his chin.

 

It was a pleasurable sight for the blonde, who at last had Kaname’s weapon in her clutches.

 

“Exterminate him.”

 

* * *

 

As soon as the hunters on guard saw Kaname approaching, they began to panic.

 

“We can attack, can’t we?”

 

“No, wait, we were told by the higher ups to let them destroy each other.”

 

“The higher ups? You mean Yagari?”

 

“But it’s our job to prevent any invasion.”

 

The shadowy man looked up, and within seconds he had jumped up to their level, letting himself over the balcony.

 

“He’s here!”

 

The men drew their weapons, one holding a crossbow up to Kaname’s face.

 

“The Head of the Kuran family has been recognised as an enemy! Don’t hesitate and do your job!”

 

Shots were fired out, but yet…

 

Kaname walked past them with ease, leaving them stunned. He turned his head, brilliant crimson eyes piercing into theirs, and one by one they collapsed, weapons clattering as they hit the ground.

 

He grabbed one of the men and dragged him along, stopping at the protective gate. After a moment’s hesitation, he smashed the man’s head against it, knocking him unconscious.

 

“Sorry, I can’t get in without your help.”

 

After the gate opened, Kaname threw the hunter’s body down, stepped over him and let himself into building.

 

He took a few steps, but then stopped, the sudden sensation of her presence overcoming him. He closed his eyes, hearing the familiar crackling coming from his sword, and breathed a sigh.

 

“This is the place where her remains lay asleep.” 

 

The near silence was broken by a rumbling that erupted into a loud bang as an explosion lifted the ground before him. 

 

Zero’s form appeared within a massive tangle of thorns belonging to the Bloody Rose. He was crouched in the rubble, his eyes glowing softly.

 

“Seize him, Bloody Rose.”

 

The thorns shot outwards, about to tangle themselves around the man, when he called out.

 

“Bloody Rose.”

 

They suddenly all stopped, twitching in the air.

 

“That’s right, you were once this guy’s accomplice.” Zero acknowledged, pointing the gun directly at Kaname.

 

Carefully, Kaname lifted his hand, pressing the tip of his finger to a thorn. It hissed back at him, bringing a fond half smile to his face.

 

“This was the first weapon I crafted using her remains all those years ago.”

 

Zero reached up and grabbed onto the thorns.

 

“Right now, I am the owner of this weapon, and I am the Master of _myself_.” He declared, his voice a rough growl. 

 

That’s right, one day he would stop obeying orders. After leading a life that was dictated by other people, vampires and hunters alike, it was only natural for him to want to find his freedom.

 

Just like Zero, Yuuki wanted her freedom too. Kaname knew that too well.

 

The thorny vines tangled themselves around Kaname’s form, tightening their grip like small vices, pricking into his clothes and his skin where they could.

 

“Bloody Rose, drink all of that guy’s blood.”

 

Kaname gazed straight at Zero, lifting his sword slowly.

 

“Zero, if you can’t become my weapon, I can’t let you finish me off here either.”

 

* * *

 

A small crowd gathered outside, mumbling to one another with grave concern.

 

“Don’t tell me that the Pureblood King actually started a war at the Association Headquarters?”

 

“This is unbelievable!” 

 

“Kaname-sama does not intend to confront the Association, but I cannot let any of you pass through this door.” Ruka clarified, trying to keep her head held high.

 

“This is hard for us to believe, Miss Vampire,” one elderly man spoke, “This is the hunter’s territory, and we are also accepted as part of the hunters.”

 

“Ruka-san.” Her voice cut through the murmurs and hushed the crowd almost instantly.

 

Yuuki stood tall, clutching Artemis, her eyes gleaming with determination.

 

* * *

 

Sara had been escorted to the church, a temporary place of safety while the hunters tried to figure out their next move. 

 

Kaien noticed their hesitance and tried to appeal to them, desperation coating his voice.

 

“Why are all of you frozen? What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you are waiting for Kaname-kun and Sara Shirabuki to kill one another?!”

 

They wouldn’t give him a response, but their heavy silence was an answer in itself.

 

“Instead, you should catch the intruder who defied the agreement, recall what you are supposed to do!!” 

 

After a moment of chatter amongst themselves, the hunters quickly and silently dispersed. Yagari walked to Kaien’s side, regarding him coldly.

 

“You should be the one who has to recall what you’re supposed to do, Association President. After all, one by one you continue to shelter Purebloods here, especially Sara Shirabuki.”

 

Kaien glared back at him.

 

“I know that, but you shouldn’t be inciting everyone to forget about their mission. The same goes for your own mission.” 

 

The two men stared at each other, the atmosphere cold and tense. 

 

Finally, Yagari turned and briskly walked away, leaving Kaien alone with his thoughts for now.


	44. Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zero reflects on just who Yuuki was and is to him, as he faces a fierce confrontation with Kaname. Ruka makes a decision that changes everything, leaving her grievously injured in the process. Meanwhile, Takuma's jealousy increases as Sara seems to lament over his 'bond' with her.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapters 81, 82 & 83.

_She died on the same day as Ichiru._

 

_On a snowy battlefield, the biting chill sweeping through the air, Zero pressed his lips to her soft ones. He kissed farewell to the corpse of the human girl that was stubborn and kind, placed his hand on the cool, lifeless skin of her cheek._

 

_She, for a year of his life, was just a fragment inside his heart and his mind, etched into his soul just as his beloved twin was._

 

_And yet, the girl who stood in front of him lately, her long hair twisting in the wind and her eyes sparkling with determination, was almost the same as the girl he’d loved, the girl he’d lost._

 

_Though he had wanted her to walk alongside a man he felt best suited for her, sometimes he’d wondered if it should have been him to do so instead._

 

_But to walk alongside her would be admitting to himself that she had not died, but rather had been reborn. It wasn’t a simple death, an eternal goodbye, her real self was there all along - it was just the matter of not knowing the true extent of who that real self was._

 

_And to know he’d let her go on the battlefield, his broken heart writhing with agony and betrayal, when he’d wanted more than anything to grab her hand and ask her to stay, was difficult to swallow._

 

_Especially given the circumstances now._

 

A gnarled beast of thorns and vines hurtled towards Kaname, who tried to fight back with his sword.

 

“There’s no end to this.” He muttered, finally allowing the monstrous creation to entrap him, tangling around his body.

 

His hands grabbed at a handful of the vines and he squeezed, watching as the blood pulsed and bled out.

 

“Why is the blood of Purebloods, the origin of power, said to be poison?” 

 

He ripped the vines upwards into the air.

 

“That’s because no matter who the blood resides in, the Master of the blood will always be Pureblood.”

 

Zero lunged towards him, one hand reached out to clamp around Kaname’s neck, but Kaname didn’t seem too worried.

 

“Don’t forget, though you are trying your hardest to suppress it.”

 

He inched closer as Kaname uttered his words coldly.

 

“Your body also contains my poison.”

 

* * *

 

Yuuki jumped down from the ledge she’d been standing on once the crowd had been subdued. She would have to deal with it later, ideally before things got too messy.

 

Ruka watched in shock as Yuuki reached up to wipe the blood from her cheek, having reopened the cut Kaname made earlier.

 

“You even went to the extent of injuring yourself…”

 

Yuuki stared at her, determination painting her features.

 

“Why aren’t you willing to sleep obediently?!” Ruka cried, raising her hand to cast another spell.

 

Akatsuki barred her path, stopping her from doing so.

 

“I’ll stop her.” 

 

Yuuki shook her head.

 

“Why, you ask? It’s simple. That person has to be stopped.”

 

Akatsuki approached Yuuki, with Ruka close behind.

 

“Akatsuki, no, don’t hurt her!”

 

“I won’t.”

 

Yuuki dodged Akatsuki’s move towards her.

 

“I will stop him. So, Ruka-san, please release yourself from this! Release yourself from the person who has been taking advantage of your kindness.”

 

Akatsuki grabbed Yuuki’s shoulder, just as a loud rumbling and the sound of a catastrophic bang echoed from above. 

 

Part of the wall tumbled down from above, debris crashing down to the ground below, and two familiar figures appeared to be falling within the chaos.

 

Kaname squeezed his hand tightly into Zero’s neck as the two fell downwards, his eyes glowing crimson with animalistic hatred. 

 

“Kiryuu-kun, isn’t this enough?” He asked, his voice a soft rumble, as he watched all trace of colour evaporate from Zero’s features. 

 

As they approached the ground, plummeting so fast it made Zero’s head spin, Kaname drew his sword in preparation.

 

The three on the ground realised quickly that Kaname was intending to kill Zero following the impact on the ground, and in those few seconds Ruka made her decision, just as Yuuki was about to react herself.

 

To the horror of Akatsuki and the shock of an already despaired Yuuki, Ruka threw herself in the way, pushing Zero away from Kaname to lessen the impact, her nimble frame shielding him the best she could.

 

Kaname’s sword pierced into Ruka’s side where it should have pierced through Zero, and though he withdrew it quite quickly, the damage was done.

 

Yuuki could not believe it.

 

Akatsuki charged towards Ruka, crying out her name in a voice that sounded so close to breaking it hurt Yuuki’s heart impossibly more than it already was. She found herself running behind him, her whole body otherwise numb with sheer shock.

 

“Why?” Zero grunted out, his body still writhing in agony upon the impact. 

 

Ruka’s crumpled form lay limply on him, blood pooling around her side, and she groaned softly in pain.

 

“Ruka!!”

 

Akatsuki scooped Ruka up into his arms, falling to his knees as he held her close. 

 

“Kaname-sama, please…don’t do that.” Ruka whimpered out, her voice a soft rasp.

 

Ruka huffed as Akatsuki tried to comfort her, brushing her hair from her face and watching her with concerned eyes.

 

Yuuki whirled around to face Kaname.

 

“Kaname, this is-”

 

A fire ball hurtled through the air, narrowly missing Yuuki, and blew Kaname’s shoulder clean off, leaving a mess of blood and shadowy bat figures in its place.

 

“Dorm President Kuran, Ruka won’t angry at you for something like that, but I’m different!” 

 

Akatsuki’s fist was raised, fire swirling and crackling against his skin, as he set to hurtle another attack towards the shadowy man.

 

“I will-!!”

 

Ruka’s arms wrapping weakly around Akatsuki’s leg caught him off guard completely.

 

“No, stop…I was the one in the wrong, I acted impulsively…please.”

 

The injured woman collapsed, and was caught by Akatsuki, who cradled her in his arms.

 

“Ruka.” Kaname’s voice was sharp and cold, cutting through the air.

 

“You shielded him, betraying me. It’s over between us.”

 

Ruka gazed helplessly at Kaname’s form. Finally, resigned and gravely hurt, she closed her eyes.

 

“I understand.”

 

“Take care of Ruka, Yuuki.”

 

But before he could make an escape, Yuuki took the opportunity to encircle Kaname with Artemis, grasping onto the blade to keep it wrapped around his tall figure.

 

“What are you saying is ‘her will’, to the extent where you’d do all of this to accomplish it? No matter what it would be, what you are doing is wrong!”

 

Zero staggered to his feet, watching the pair with concern.

 

Kaname turned his head slightly.

 

“After you capture me, what will you do then?”

 

Before she could respond, an anti vampire net was released from above, intending to trap Kaname. He shoved Yuuki out of the way, and disappeared into a flock of bats before they could capture him.

 

Her knees suddenly gave out, and Yuuki collapsed, dropping Artemis with a loud clang beside her. Why would he protect her, what was he trying to prove? Why wouldn’t he just stop?!

 

She heard the voices of hunters calling to pursue Kaname, and turned her head to look at Ruka. 

 

Realising the extent of Ruka’s injuries, Yuuki grabbed Artemis and ran to her side, kneeling in front of her.

 

“Are you alright, Ruka-san?”

 

Ruka opened her mouth, but was too weak to get anything other than a pained moan out. Akatsuki decided to answer instead.

 

“She’s been hurt by an anti vampire weapon, we won’t be able to stop her bleeding easily.”

 

Yuuki gazed at Ruka with frantic eyes as she figured out her next move.

 

Then, she made her decision.

 

“Ruka-san, muster some strength,” Yuuki lifted her wrist, “and drink my blood.”

 

Ruka weakly nodded, whispering her agreement, and Yuuki pierced her wrist. The blood oozed out, but before she could feed Ruka, Akatsuki grabbed her wrist and brought it to his mouth, taking the blood himself. 

 

Then, to everyone’s surprise and to Yuuki’s awe, Akatsuki fed Ruka through a bloody kiss.

 

* * *

 

Takuma sat in silence, one leg crossed over the other and hands clasped together - a picture of patience, though he felt far from it inside.

 

Sara hadn’t spoken for a while, nor had her little ‘birds’. He wondered what was going through her mind, though it wasn’t as much of a fortress as Kaname’s. It seemed to have been planned ahead of time, a silent agreement between two foes, that the hunt would occur at this place. It seemed that, unless they destroyed each other, surely only one would come out victorious. 

 

“Kaname didn’t postpone his plan.” Takuma finally said, relaxing his shoulders somewhat.

 

“That’s for sure. If I was in his position, I’m sure I’d find it a hindrance too.”

 

Her words seemed to alarm the girls, who grasped onto her clothes with worried whispers of her name.

 

“It’s alright, girls, I won’t let you do anything. We’ll let Zero do it, so set your mind at ease.”

 

The reassured looks on their faces made Sara smile. She leaned in slightly, allowing each girl a nuzzle or a kiss.

 

“It’s not so bad, having something to protect.”

 

Takuma stood up, his blood running hot through his veins. 

 

“You’re a cruel woman. To go so far as to give your blood to Kiryuu-kun.” 

 

Sara closed her eyes, but didn’t seem in any way affected by his demeanour. 

 

“Are you referring to me granting benevolence and power to a hungry and pitiful vampire? Or could it be you’re referring to me putting a rein on him to have him listen to me.”

 

Takuma’s hand settled on her chair, half pinning her down.

 

“It seems I’m jealous.”

 

For once, Sara didn’t seem pleased by his admission. In fact, her gaze seemed almost tinted with concern.

 

“How pitiful. You have also been grasped by a rein, and you still continue to think of that rein as some sort of bond.”

 

She reached up with a hand and stroked the blonde’s cheek. 

 

“What will you give me in return for your desire to monopolise?”

 

“I will give you what you couldn’t gain during the Senate’s time.”

 

His answer was quick and steadily spoken, his eyes glimmering as they absorbed the image of the woman before him. It was a look of lust, of _love_ , but Sara knew better.

 

“In the end, you’re just being manipulated by the instinct of a vampire.”


	45. Those Wielding Her Weapons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname's attempt on Zero's life and Ruka's grave injuries leave Yuuki reeling. Yagari recalls a conversation with Kaien before finding himself facing conflict. Sara reflects on her relationship with Kaname, who hears a familiar voice for the first time in thousands of years. Yuuki joins forces once and for all with Zero, determined to escape the deep, dark forest with him.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 83

In a metaphorical deep, dark forest, there never seemed to be a path into the light. It was no place to be alone, chained inside a cold and desolate eternity. He had created that place inside his heart, and one by one he trapped people there to ease his own loneliness and heartache.  


Ruka, despite being in this forest, always had Akatsuki beside her. Yuuki had hoped that would have been enough to guarantee her protection, to guard her heart. However, seeing her crumpled body being cradled by Akatsuki put her feelings of hope at an all time low, in that moment at least. 

 

A sharp flick on the back of her head brought Yuuki back to reality. 

 

“Do you intend to continue standing there at a loss?” 

 

Her eyes met Zero’s, and she felt her heart swell once again. Briefly rubbing the back of her head, Yuuki set off with him.

 

As she followed him, those words Kaname had uttered echoed in her mind. When he’d asked her what she’d do after capturing him, she’d hesitated. What _would_ she do? He would not sit quietly in captivity for the rest of eternity, and he likely would not go into slumber again. She did not want to even _think_ about the only other option, she just couldn’t.

 

“He wanted to get rid of me, didn’t he?” Zero’s voice made her jump.

 

“It’s just the Purebloods using their arrogant controlling powers, in an attempt to manipulate me.” 

 

She frowned slightly, sensing the hurt in his voice. The sight of Kaname trying to murder Zero before her eyes still had her reeling, but she was so far in a state of adrenaline induced shock that it was still processing inside her mind and her heart.

 

Zero placed his hand against the door, pushing it open.

 

“The door trap is still open.” He remarked quietly.

 

Suddenly, he scooped Yuuki up bridal style, carrying her through the doorway. She felt her heart quicken in her chest, but other than a noise of surprise she was still at a lost for words.

 

“Anyway, we’ll stop him.”

 

He set her down gently once they were safely inside, and she muttered a quiet thanks. It was a liberating, touching feeling, to know that it was ‘we’ again. She didn’t realise just how much she’d missed that word and its inclusivity. 

 

The bustle of hunters around them drowned out the rest of her thoughts.

 

“Kaname Kuran has hidden himself, have you checked the surrounding areas?!”

 

“Yes!”  


 

Yagari pointed over at two men.

 

“You guys come with me, he’s above!” 

 

When he turned and saw Zero and Yuuki, his expression was stone cold. 

 

The older hunter passed them by without a word and rushed to the stairs, uttering a curse under his breath as he ascended them.

 

_“Do you really think it’s alright for them to kill each other, Yagari?”_

 

_Kaien’s voice was no longer laced with anger, it was now a calm and even tone that unsettled Yagari._

 

_His hand moved up to his eye, rubbing at the smooth leather of the patch in an attempt to soothe it._

 

_“This wound aches whenever I recall it. I had to kill the woman I was engaged to, after a Pureblood vampire turned her and left her to go beserk. It seems Kaito went through similar circumstances with a loved one, as did Zero - who tried to kill himself.”_

 

_Yagari removed the patch from his eye with a trembling hand, and turned to face Kaien._

 

_“Even you, yourself, understand it too.”_

 

_But yet, despite it all, Kaien yearned to be a kind human, so in the end he acted as one._

 

_When he told him that, though, Kaien didn’t seem to take the words as praise. He scratched the side of his face, awkwardly pushing his glasses up just a bit further._

 

_“I might have yearned to be a kind human, and acted like one, but wouldn’t anyone who has a heart feel this way?”_

 

Yagari stood face to face with Kaname, who was clutching at his bloodied shoulder. Beside him was Seiren, carrying his sword in a cloth. 

 

“You came at the right time, Yagari-sensei.”

 

Just his voice alone made Yagari’s blood run cold. He lifted his gun, feeling his mind clouding with pure rage.

 

In a flash of a second, Kaname disappeared and reformed behind Yagari.

 

“Please lend me the two people behind you. There are anti vampire traps everywhere, after all.”

 

Seething with venom, Yagari turned for the attack.

 

“Kuran, you blood sucking monster!!”  


 

The sound of a sharp crack and the sensation of a tight cord wrapping around his neck stopped Yagari in his tracks.

 

Seiren held tightly onto the man, her eyes burning into his skin.

 

“I will be your opponent, Sensei.”

 

* * *

 

Sara was not a foolish woman, not by any stretch. She was well educated, intelligent and cunning, and Kaname knew it better than anyone else. That’s why she was always a worthy opponent for the throne, being as Kaname’s engagement meant that she had no other way to claim a title she felt she was owed.

 

He’d never officially courted her, of course, but they both knew there was whispers of interest amongst the elders. Their marriage would have been loveless, and she would have likely tried to stage his death once she was thoroughly bored, but they both had a lust for power and a need for control - keeping whatever magnetism there ever was alive.

 

In fact, that lust and that need was what made the game they were playing so dangerous and yet so _thrilling_. 

 

Hearing the commotion, she pulled at the invisible reins that tied Zero to her. 

 

“He came this far, now protect me.”

 

If she didn’t have to get her own hands dirty for the major kill, then she wouldn’t. 

 

It was a tactic Kaname favoured, too. 

 

She wanted to hurt him at every corner, take his control away bit by bit, and revel in the glorious feeling as he crumbled before her eyes. His beloved fiancée was tied at each limb by the chaos they’d created, his favourite weapon was in Sara’s clutches, and soon he would die right above the furnace where his distant love lay restlessly sleeping. 

 

And once he was out of the way, it was only a matter of time before his dear sister would perish too. She’d make sure of that. 

 

* * *

 

He could hear her when no one else could. 

 

She was whispering softly, desperately, reaching out to him with the same pleas over and over again. 

 

_I beg of you, Kaname, if you continue any further I will be at my limit._

 

He’d not heard her voice for so long that it made his heart ache and his fangs throb. Nonetheless, he was determined. It had been 10,000 years of war and unease, he would bring the ultimate end if it meant setting her free.

 

When Kaname turned the corner, Yuuki and Zero were waiting for him, weapons poised for battle. They looked natural together, stood side by side with their eyes trained on him. It was almost radiant, and Kaname despised it.

 

“I always knew that you would be the last one blocking my way, Yuuki.” 

 

Her expression was steel, the coldest he’d ever seen. 

 

Yuuki gripped Artemis just a bit tighter, grounding herself. 

 

He stood before her, a shadow that lingered and blocked out the light wherever he went, and she found herself back in that deep, dark forest, fighting along with the others to find her way out.

 

But Kaname continued to wander deeper, as though the light would cause him to perish.

 

“How many innocent people have been hurt, and have had their lives taken away, Kaname?” Her voice cut through the air, trembling with feelings of anger and hurt that she could never describe.

 

“Today even Ruka-san…and Zero, too.” 

 

She lifted her beloved scythe, grasping at her hair, and in one slice the long strands that Kaname had once twined his fingers through were discarded. 

 

Her hair fell to her shoulders, reminiscent of the days she’d spent as an oblivious human who wandered aimlessly in a bath of sunlight.

 

“I’m sorry, Zero, from now on I won’t continue to make blunders. We both have the same objective, so it’s fine for me to stand beside you, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes. I’ll bear the consequences of your blunders, so you’ll have to help me when I’m in trouble.” 

 

The swelling in her heart put her at a strange sense of ease, and she took a deep breath.

 

“Kaname, I’ve thrown those weights away, and I will catch you - what will happen afterwards I cannot say, but I will not waver any longer, just like Ruka-san!” 

 

The two charged forward together, and all of the commotion of battle was drowned out. 

 

Yuuki thought of Zero, who was freezing in the cold darkness for all of that time. If he’d abandoned himself, he’d have become so cold he would have no longer felt anything. To melt would be painful,perhaps to a point where it becomes unbearable. 

 

Despite this, she believed in that moment more than ever before, that someday the two of them would be able to escape the deep, dark forest - someday, their frozen bodies will lie beneath the warmth of the sun, and…

 

… They will finally be free. 


	46. Falling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname's past and the prophecies within it continues to haunt him. Zero and Yuuki continue to fight, and ultimately struggle to kill Kaname. Sara weaves another web of manipulation in her quest to become Queen.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 84.

_He had never considered that she would throw her heart into the fire, even as she asked him question after question about the developments he had made in regard to creating the ultimate weapons._

 

_The commotion outside was finally settling for the night, a jovial party gone awry that was finally coming to a close, and people were returning to their tents._

 

_She curled up in his arms, the smallest and most vulnerable he’d ever seen her, and ran her hand along his chest idly, drawing circles with her fingers._

 

_“Kaname, are you afraid of dying?”_

 

_Kaname brought a strand of her long hair to his lips, pressing a soft kiss there._

 

_“I suppose I’ve never thought too much about it.”_

 

_After a few moments of silence, she spoke again._

 

_“Whatever comes from that furnace needs to be sustained for thousands of years to come. It needs to survive many wars, fight endless battles.”_

 

_He hummed in agreement._

 

_“Though I can’t yet be certain, the regenerative quality of a Pureblood should provide such sustenance for many thousands of years. That’ll be enough, I should have it ready by then.”_

 

_He could feel her smile._

 

_“Do you think Purebloods will willingly accept a cure, let alone the rest of society?”_

 

_“Even the most determined Pureblood gets tired of existing eventually.”_

 

_She went silent again._

 

_“Do you think that all Purebloods should be extinct?” He asked, more to himself than to her._

 

_“I want humans to live peacefully on this Earth, without fear of becoming slaves to creatures like us. I don’t want to say anything further than that.”_

 

_The answer was fairly cryptic and somewhat open ended, but after her passing it had warped in his mind and eventually he inserted his own answer into hers._

 

_She died for their arrogance to protect the humans._

 

_Definitely, someday, he would free her._

 

_Someday, he would rid of Purebloods who threatened his reign._

 

_And then, once he had a cure, he would end the existence of vampires once and for all._

 

_He had decided that in his mind, repeated it like a mantra for centuries, but he found himself at a loss each time with the cure._

 

_So eventually, he gave up and stored it all away._

 

_If there was no cure, there was only one thing left to do._

 

_It was around that time that his wife, filled with concern for her husband’s prophetic dreams and schemes, found someone to ease his mind._

 

_Not much was known about the mysterious woman, other than that she was claimed to be hysterical by many. Her family were unlike other Purebloods, they were sicklier in body and mind. Some of her family had married off, but some chose to inbreed._

 

_Perhaps that’s where the madness had come from, a madness Kaname could sympathise with. A madness that was so cruel in nature, that humans feared them and caged the ones they wouldn’t kill in order to keep society safe._

 

_It was just this young woman, a sister and a brother left. Three Hiou children, brought up in cages, abandoned by their mother who was later hunted after escaping and going on a crazed rampage. The young woman brought the other two children up, being the eldest, but could not have children of her own._

 

_They say she was gifted with something else, the gift of having eyes that gazed mistily into a future that was far away, even for vampires._

 

_Kaname had never liked seeing people in cages, and despite himself he didn’t want to believe in a woman that was so mad. However, if it would ease the suspicions of his wife, he would do what he could._

 

_So he sat there, facing her cage, watching her as she sat sewing. She gazed up at him in her own time, her eyes a cloudy shade of grey. Then, an unpleasant smile curled her lips._

 

_“It is a wonder that I have lived years in a cage, while you have sat atop a throne. We both carry a great madness, Kaname Kuran, yours is just carefully concealed. What a surprise, though, that you’d come to visit someone as pitiful as me.”_

 

_“You’re a Seer, right? Surely you knew I was coming.”_

 

_Her laughter was like a shriek that echoed through the room._

 

_“Foolish man, I cannot predict everything that comes and goes. I only see what I’m able to see.”_

 

_She turned her body and crawled towards the bars, gripping onto them with hands that had such long nails that they looked like claws._

 

_“Come, I will tell you what I can.”_

 

_Reluctantly, Kaname stood up and moved cautiously toward the cage. He knelt down, but didn’t look her in the eyes as she studied him._

 

_“Your hand.”_

 

_His eyes darted to hers, alarmed._

 

_“It’s more than payment, Kaname Kuran. You do want to know about your future, don’t you?”_

 

_“If you are lying-”_

 

_“-You would know. You can tell, can’t you? You know I’m telling the truth.”_

 

_After a pause, Kaname reached out and allowed her to snatch his hand towards her. She turned his hand upwards, stroking clawed fingers down his palm, and gripped onto his arm. Then, sharp fangs hungrily dug into his skin and broke the flesh._

 

_As she fed, he noticed her eyes once again. They were swirling, turning red and blue._

 

_Finally, she pulled away, ripping her fangs out and causing him to jolt back in surprise. The Hiou woman began to speak, her voice guttural and unearthly._

 

_“The furnace. It’s cooling. Death and destruction, madness spiralling downward, the one who sacrificed herself will be freed but at the cost of another.”_

 

_His heart began thumping loudly in his chest._

 

_“There will be a light, a girl will be a light of salvation, but the darkness will threaten to consume her light.”_

 

_“A girl?”_

 

_“She visited you in a dream, a light so beautiful, a light you’ve seen before, a light so easy to snuff out.”_

 

_He grabbed onto the Seer’s wrist._

 

_“Tell me, what should I do? How do I protect her?”_

 

_Her eyes rolled downwards, meeting his, and she sneered._

 

_“That will be your downfall, Kaname Kuran.”_

 

_“My…”_

 

_His eyes widened. He got up, stumbling backwards, his heart ringing in his ears. He tried to compose himself, but after living so long without any hope or emotion, the now foreign sensations overcoming him were overwhelming._

 

_The woman gripped onto the bars, her body slumping with exhaustion._

 

_“One day,” she muttered, “we will be free one day. Madness may decay our minds and our bodies, and some may succumb to slumber or death, but one day…one day, you may free us.”_

 

_Her gaze was dangerous, secretive, and it set Kaname on edge._

 

_He grabbed his coat and left as quickly as he could._

 

_Her laughter was all he could hear._

 

* * *

 

“Get caught by me obediently, Kaname.”

 

Her familiars clustered around her, forming a pair of butterfly wings. She shot towards Kaname, Artemis poised for the attack.

 

“Zero!”

 

Kaname, overcome, fell back to the floor as Yuuki’s familiars pinned him down. Artemis slammed onto the ground beside his neck, and the vines of the Bloody Rose were scrambling towards him.

 

But then, they stopped. 

 

“Why did you stop, Zero?”

 

 

Yuuki then realised that Kaname had lifted his sword. It was dangerously close to her neck, and she could hear the electricity humming as her familiars wrapped around it.

 

 

“You won’t pose any real threat like this. He won’t die unless that blade pierces his heart!”

 

A hand reached out from the swarm of butterflies, cupping Yuuki’s face. Kaname overpowered her, slamming her down to the ground as he pressed the sword against her neck. Her familiars scattered, helpless.

 

“It’s the same for you,” he growled, unconcerned by the tip of Artemis being close to his own throat “you aren’t a threat just yet.”

 

She scowled at him.

 

“So your embodiment is a butterfly, huh? The fact that yours took the shape of a living thing that favours the light is just like you, Yuuki.”

 

The vines twisted and wrapped around Kaname as Zero pointed the gun at his head.

 

“Those are butterflies that drink blood and not honey. I can fight just as well, so don’t belittle me.”

 

The vines began to pull Kaname off Yuuki, as she lifted herself up with all of her might, the weapons vibrating as they clashed together. 

 

Sara was enjoying the show too much. She watched with pleasure as they fought, and began to whisper to Zero’s subconscious. 

 

“Kiryuu Zero, you can kill your enemy right before you at this rate, with those rose thorns that drink blood.”

 

He seemed to be taken slightly off guard at the sound of her voice.

 

“Why did your brother have to die? I granted you blood in order for you to get your revenge. Isn’t the one who made a mess of the lives of your family right in front of your eyes?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Hearing Zero speak to no one in particular caught Yuuki’s attention and concern.

 

“Zero?”

 

“Right at this moment, his power is being consumed by the Hunter’s Sword,” the blonde continued, “so appease your desire for revenge to your heart’s content.”

 

Flooding emotions of hurt and anger, sadness and rage, began to consume Zero’s body. The vines grew larger, engulfing his arm and extending around Kaname’s form.

 

“Zero, don’t get bound by Sara-san’s blood!” Yuuki begged.

 

“If you kill that man, you fulfil what you want. Kill him, killing doll.”

 

“Shut up. Don’t try to act as though you’re my Master, Pureblood.”

 

A sudden shot rang out and in that moment, everything fell silent.


	47. The King of Hubris, The Queen of Vanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The situation at the Association escalates, as the fight continues between Zero, Yuuki and Kaname. Sara is forced to flee her opponent, as Takuma makes a deadly decision.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 84.

An owl swooped downwards, hooting as it came to land on Maria’s waiting arm.

 

She listened intently, concern flooding her doll-like features.

 

“I see. Thank you.”

 

The bird hooted once more, then took off into the skies, leaving a cluster of feathers behind.

 

Maria sighed, staring out from the rooftop at the dark, cloud filled skies. 

 

“The situation at the Association is worsening…”

 

* * *

 

Kaname lay motionless on the floor, trapped by the vines of the Bloody Rose.

 

“I wanted power to hold him down, and for that your blood was necessary.” Zero muttered to Sara, who watched in stunned silence.

 

“Yuuki!” 

 

* * *

 

 

“What were we thinking?”

 

“To do something so outrageous…”

 

“And to think such tablets were so easy to access”

 

“And it even made some of us ready to attack Yuuki-sama…”

 

Hanabusa stared in exasperation at the distressed students of the Night Class, and decided he’d had enough.

 

“Get a hold of yourselves! We have to protect this school, the Dorm President left us in charge!”

 

“You’re right! We must catch up to the Dorm President at the Association!”

 

“Yes!” 

 

“Are you serious about this?” Hanabusa asked, blue eyes scanning the room in earnest.

 

“You understand that we’d only be a hindrance, even if we head into the conflict.”

 

His words seemed to cool the air in the room as the students considered them.

 

“Leaving that aside, our concern is the blood tablets. Vampire and human society will both collapse if it’s left on the market.”

 

He held up the vial of Yuuki’s blood.

 

“That’s why I want to make new tablets that negate that power. Yuuki-sama gave us her blood, so please help assist me.”

 

A female student spoke up.

 

“I cannot believe that those two would fight each other. At the ball, though I was watching from afar, they seemed so close and so concerned for one another. I cannot imagine them doing this.”

 

“It was almost like nothing could tear them apart.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kaien entered the room that belonged to the famous furnace, unsteady on his feet as it rumbled and growled. 

 

The workers seemed relieved to see him.

 

“Association President!” 

 

Kaien swallowed, his expression grave as he stared at the fire.

 

“We have to consider the damage it could do to the lowest floor. It’s possible that we won’t be able to revive it if the flames were extinguished somehow. Please pay attention to it, that furnace is no ordinary one.”

 

“It is where weapons are forged that can kill Purebloods, the furnace where the Parent was melted.”

 

* * *

 

The petite brunette charged forward once more.

 

“The Ancestress threw her heart into the furnace to give the hunters weapons and power, but did she ever say to destroy all Purebloods?”

 

Kaname gave no answer.

 

“It wasn’t hers and my wish to become like this. The Purebloods shouldn’t be arrogant. She used her body to bring attention to this, and yet…”

 

Despite her words, Kaname reached up and placed his hand over Zero’s face, glaring dangerously at him.

 

“Why did you forget, Kaname?!”

 

She swung Artemis, ready to pierce his body, when a deep and unsettling rumbling made everything shake. 

 

* * *

 

The workers watched helplessly in awe and disbelief as the furnace exploded into life, beams of energy crawling up the walls in the form of liquid flame and smoke.

 

“Oh gosh, the Parent has crawled out!”

 

“This has never happened before!”

 

Commotion quickly broke out, with people yelling that something was coming from below ground. 

 

Akatsuki stopped for a moment to steady himself, Ruka held tightly in his arms. 

 

It disrupted Yagari and Seiren, bringing their battle to an end.

 

It caused Kaito to almost lose his footing as he tried to close the servant woman into a cell.

 

Even Touma was on his feet, backing into a wall in an attempt to get away from the blasting of energy that broke through the ground. 

 

Rima ran after Senri, who was bounding towards the Association. He had thought he’d slipped away, but she was never far behind him.

 

Her hand reached out and grabbed at the wrist of his jacket.

 

“Wait! Shiki!”

 

He wouldn’t look at her.

 

“To think you’d follow Ichijou-san and the others here, to the Association.” She huffed scoldingly.

 

Another rumble, a few screams and the brilliant blazing light finally caught her attention. 

 

“That’s the Association, right?”

 

Once again, Senri tried to walk forward, but Rima had her grip tightly on him.

 

“No, you mustn’t, it’s dangerous!” 

 

Her arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him close with a tightness, as though afraid he’d disappear if she’d dared to loosen her grip. 

 

“Detach yourself from Ichijou-san already.” She pleaded softly, her hands curling into fists.

 

“It’s not that,” Senri replied, “I just want to help my benefactor.”

 

“Ichijou-san isn’t someone who is suited to such dark places.”

 

* * *

 

_Her hair was always long, even when she was young._

 

_Sara preferred it that way, falling down past her knees in thick, blonde curls._

 

_She was everything ideal for a woman of her status - graceful, pretty, fashionable, intelligent. In her frilly dresses, high heels and furs she could pass for a doll._

 

_But like a black widow, looks could be deceiving, and she never failed to play into any advantage that her submissive appearance gave._

 

_Kaname saw through it, though. Even before she figured the truth out about him, he seemed beyond his years in how he carried himself. He was equally as deceitful, and that was exciting to her._

 

_Her favourite thing about him, though, was that he never underestimated her. It would be no fun to take the crown from someone naive and foolish, like his sweet sister._

 

_He knew it, too, from the moment his lips pressed against her gloved hand, intoxicated by the scent of raspberries and cream._

 

_It always had to be him._

 

* * *

 

The building was in ruins. 

 

Sara’s little ‘birdies’ huddled close to her, whispering her name like a desperate prayer. 

 

Kaname approached, being fought by Zero and Yuuki all the while. 

 

Takuma felt his heart in his chest, it felt like it could burst out. His head was spinning, but he heard himself calling for Sara to flee. 

 

Though initially reluctant, she began to lead the girls away, but not before giving her parting words to Zero. 

 

“My incomplete killing doll. You’d protect me in the end, no matter how you howl. Shoot that corrupted Ancestor. No, hurry up and give the finishing blow, so that I may become the true Vampire Queen.” 

 

But before Zero could shoot him, Takuma grabbed his arm and forced it upwards, diverting the shot. He forced the gun out of Zero’s grip and pointed it at his chin.

 

“Drop your weapons, Kaname and Yuuki-chan.”

 

“Zero!” Yuuki cried out, her hands trembling.

 

“I’m fine, so don’t let go of your weapon.” He replied, keeping his tone even.

 

“Kiryuu-kun, I’m envious of you, because you are ‘of use’. You are always necessary, whether it be to Kaname or Sara-san.”

 

Shaking, Takuma pushed Zero forward, backing himself away slowly with the gun. It stuttered in his hand, electricity spiking, as he pointed it at the trio.

 

“Ichijou, do you really think Sara is a Pureblood who deserves to live? What do you think, Yuuki?” Asked Kaname, his voice void of feeling.

 

“…I don’t,” said Takuma, “but I don’t want her to die. I think the same about you.”

 

He pointed the gun at Zero.

 

“But I’ll take away your weapon, so he may not be of use to either of you anymore.”

 

Forgetting the fight, Yuuki pulled sharply from Kaname.

 

“No! Zero!”

 

But the shot never came. 

 

From the ground, piercing into Takuma’s body as it shot upwards towards the sky, an essence of the Ancestress blinded those around with light. 

 

Left on the ground, clattering as it had fell, lay the Bloody Rose.


	48. Successor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takuma reflects on his own feelings of envy as he approaches his certain demise. Kaname escapes capture, leaving Yuuki and Zero to give chase. The Ancestress finds peace as the furnace cools. Sara makes her most dangerous move yet.

_He’d always been jealous._

 

_It was an ugly, all consuming jealousy that had eaten him up from the inside over the years._

 

_He was jealous of Rima, who had captured the heart of Senri, one of his dearest companions._

 

_He was jealous of Ruka for her devotion, Akatsuki for his strength._

 

_He was jealous of Hanabusa for his unwavering faith, Seiren for her quiet closeness to Kaname._

 

_But he knew things none of them did about Kaname, things perhaps not even the silent Seiren knew._

 

_Yes, Takuma Ichijou was the closest to Kaname Kuran’s best friend as there could be._

 

_Yet, that didn’t ease the pain._

 

_It didn’t ease the pain of watching Kaname thirst and lust, rage and simmer in his own envy, as he pined for the human Yuuki Cross._

 

_It didn’t ease the pain of Zero Kiryuu’s usefulness to Kaname, they hated each other mutually, and yet Kaname held him to such a high standard all the same._

 

_Even if he was a major competitor for Yuuki’s affections._

 

_Once she had awakened, a day Takuma had both hoped for and dreaded, he was discarded and left to another Pureblood._

 

_Anyone else would be disgusted, betrayed, hurt._

 

_But yet Takuma grew to find a sick pleasure in the attention Sara lavished on him. She was a woman who was equally envious of things she couldn’t grasp. She was a wounded beast at heart, a cold mistress in tongue and in beauty._

 

_He fell in love with her, or the idea of her, the idea of a Pureblood needing him for him. Even if it was all a lie, he’d feed on it until his last breath._

 

_For the one who couldn’t manipulate his genuine affections needed him no longer._

 

And even as he felt the crushing sensation in his body, the blood oozing from a gaping wound, his heart ricocheting in his chest, he knew he wasn’t needed in that moment any more than he was before. 

 

Cracks formed on his skin, he could hear the crackling and hissing, but all he could do was look to Kaname and reach out a weak hand, a delusional smile on his face. 

 

“Kaname.” He whispered.

 

But Kaname, sensing the new commotion, turned to take his leave. Before he could, though, another few bolts of energy struck out from the ground, forcing Yuuki and Zero back as they twisted around Kaname’s form. 

 

Zero scooped up the Bloody Rose just in time, as the beams of energy began to swarm and wrap around the weapons, trying to wrestle them from their holder’s grips.

 

In the near distance, people were shouting and chaos was reaching a climax.

 

“It’s trying to retrieve it’s ‘children’!” One hunter shouted.

 

“It’s going on a rampage!” Shouted Yagari.

Kaien was in shock and awe, his eyes fixated in horror at the furnace.

 

“The Parent is desiring power? Don’t tell me, at a time like this…”

 

As Takuma was thrown to the ground, although no one had noticed, Sara came to retrieve his broken body. 

 

Yuuki gripped as tightly as she could to Artemis.

 

“Why is this happening?!”

  
“I don’t know.” Zero replied, “why _is_ it doing such a thing? Does it intend to take back its fragments?”

 

Yuuki struggled.

 

“I can’t hold on any longer!”

 

_“Cooling down.”_

 

The voice startled her, but she was sure she heard it.

 

_“I’m cooling down. If I don’t take my fragments back… if I don’t take back my powers.”_

 

The Ancestress made to strike.

 

“Yuuki!” 

 

Zero grabbed the petite brunette, pulling her to safety. 

 

From the corner of eye she could see Kaname, enveloped by the beams, that now looked more like tentacles. 

 

“Its targets are weapons and you Purebloods!” Zero exclaimed, holding Yuuki as close as he could to him.

 

_“I can’t allow myself to cool down, but at this rate…in order to fulfil it… I won’t be destroyed until they have been, Purebloods who draw others into darkness. That has become the meaning of my existence.”_

 

She spoke such words, but Yuuki still wouldn’t believe them as true. The woman in those memories was optimistic and fair minded, she was just and kind. Her existence was to help control those extremists, not to eradicate her kind. 

 

But ten thousand years in purgatory can change even the strongest spirit. 

 

Kaname closed his eyes.

 

“You’ve done your best already. Ten thousand years is sufficient, so rest in peace. I will find your successor, someone who deserves to burn there, to repent. So, please rest.”

 

Her face appeared to him, tired but still as young and beautiful as he’d remembered it. She reached out and stroked his face, her touch a phantom against his skin. Quietly his heart ached with a love he'd never confessed, his fangs throbbed with a thirst he'd never quench. He longed to kiss her, to run his fingers through her braided hair.

 

But then, she disappeared, and every beam of light cracked and burst into mounds of ashes. 

 

Around them, the main building began to crumble and fall. Panicked voices called for everyone to evacuate, to run as fast and as far as they could.

 

The legacy of the Ancestress was drawing to a catastrophic close.

 

* * *

 

“Where is this place?”

 

“Can’t you see? The Association building is crumbling.”

 

Takuma’s eyes glazed over as he stared out at the building, ravaged by flame and smoke.

 

Sara’s delicate fingers combed through his hair.

 

“Look at the ugliness of Purebloods, the end of the Ancestress, who has turned into a mere monster. And look at the foolishness of that man, who continues averting his eyes from the light, the ‘salvation’, once again.”

 

* * *

 

Yuuki ran after Kaname, but by the time she went to throw herself at him he had already dissolved into a flock of bats. 

 

She fell to the floor, wracked with shock and confusion. 

 

* * *

 

“You see it don’t you, Takuma Ichijou, whose heart was captured by a Pureblood vampire - and then, you’ll come to your senses.”

 

“Until the end, my feelings were manipulated, right?”

 

She smiled.

 

“I wonder.”

 

Tilting his head up in her arms, she leaned down and granted him a kiss.

 

“As I thought,” she whispered, “there’s no such thing as a normal love here.”

 

Takuma’s crumpled form shattered in her arms, leaving a pool of dust in its wake. 

 

And for the first time in a while, Sara felt truly alone.

 

She knew Kaname was watching her, witnessing his closest friend die in her arms. She also knew that he knew better than to attack now. 

 

And she was right. 

 

* * *

 

A gentle pat on Yuuki’s head brought her back to reality. 

 

She reached up and grasped onto Zero’s waiting hand, as he helped her to her feet. 

 

“Let’s give chase,” she said, “I don’t want to see vampires go on a rampage again.”

 

* * *

 

It didn’t take long for Sara to make her next move.

 

Her long hair was neatly pinned back, a veil slightly obscuring the side of her face, and a black gown enveloping her body. 

 

She stood at the podium, her little ‘birdies’ clustered nearby - a vision of black dresses and mascara tears. 

 

Then, she spoke, her voice dripping with sorrow. 

 

“Kaname Kuran has taken from us all. He destroyed our Council, murdered sleeping Purebloods, and allowed the slaughter of countless vampires under his name. Worse still, he wants to eradicate our entire race, he wants to take away from us in the ultimate way. He is a tyrant who murdered my fiancé in cold blood, along with a man who was supposed to be his dearest friend.”

 

Her speech moved people in the crowd, women were sobbing into handkerchiefs, men were yelling in outrage. 

 

“We must put an end to the tyrannical reign of the Kuran family! I, Sara Shirabuki, will not allow my race to bow to the humans and die out! Under my reign, we will be stronger and better than ever before!” 

 

“But the hunters still have some of their weapons, and there are still more humans than vampires, how can you be sure we can overthrow him?” One voice in the crowd called out, with others agreeing.

 

Despite her supposed grief, Sara smiled and gave a little chuckle, stifled with a sob.

 

“I’ve just the solution, my great people.”

 

Seemingly out of nowhere, they appeared. Swarms of vampires, their eyes filled with thirst, their expressions vacant. They encircled the crowd, handing out bottles of pills wordlessly.

 

“With our army, there is no possible way we can be stopped, so long as I may live!”

 

“Long live Sara!” Shouted one.

 

“Long live the Queen!” Corrected another. 

 

Thunderous applause and shouts of praise were almost overwhelming for Sara, but all she could do was humbly give a small bow and smirk to herself.

 

Now to crush the butterfly who couldn’t convince the beast to turn toward the light.


	49. Pursuers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Academy is closed to students, forcing them to return home to a safer place. Before they can set off after Kaname, Yuuki and Zero are confronted by Kaito. Kaien asks Yagari an important question, though he doesn't realise it. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 86.

The Academy was forced to close its doors, and the students were evacuated and sent home without much notice. It was decided that it was safer for them to be home with their families, than to be in a place where they would be vulnerable. 

 

Yuuki found Yori asleep in her room, curled up on the bed with her belongings half packed, tears staining her sleeping face. 

 

For a while she sat on the edge of the bed, watching her best friend sleep. She raised her hand to her head, but hesitated. Then, having made her mind up, she stood and walked to the door.

 

“I won’t erase your memories,” she said softly, “forgive me for being selfish, Yori-chan, but I want you to remember me.”

 

Just a few days prior to this, Takuma faced his demise and Kaname escaped capture. 

 

While this happened, the Association was in a state of chaos, for the ‘parent’ of the anti-vampire weapons crawled from the furnace and began a rampage. It destroyed half of the building, absorbing what weapons it could get to on its way to replenish its energy. 

 

Then, in front of her eyes, the Ancestress appeared to Kaname, only to shatter into pieces. 

 

Thankfully, there were no hunter fatalities, but it left them short handed. 

 

It was so fresh in Yuuki’s mind, that it could have been just yesterday.

 

_“Hey, vampire, lend me a hand!” A rough, exhausted voice had called._

 

_Yuuki turned to see Yagari, struggling to push the debris off of him._

 

_Before she could make a move to help, Zero stepped in, pulling the debris away with relative ease._

 

_It was then that she spotted Seiren, curled up in Yagari’s arms, blood trickling from her head._

 

_Panicked, Yuuki rushed over, doing her best to help push away the rest of the surrounding debris._

 

_“Are you alright?!”_

 

_Yagari tried to stand, only to then realise his leg was crushed. With a frustrated groan, he pushed Seiren into Yuuki’s waiting arms._

 

_“Yagari-sensei, you protected Seiren-san?”_

 

_“Enough with that,” he snapped, “help me out before the other vampires find out what has happened.”_

 

It was dire, although the hunter’s had planned for a raid for a long time, it still didn’t compare to the scale of what had happened. 

 

She remembered how they’d lamented that day, injured and exhausted.

 

_“The Headquarters has lost its defence, so the vampires may very well come and attack us.” Mourned one._

 

_“No, the humans are the ones in greater danger now.” Said another._

 

_“Nearly all of the weapons were consumed.” A third sighed._

 

And yet, it was eerily quiet.

 

Until, of course, Sara had made her public appeal. 

 

As Yuuki walked from Yori’s room, she felt her stomach sinking as she recalled the events that had transpired over the last few days. 

 

She was surprised, therefore, to see the Night Class waiting for her in the corridor, bowing to her as she approached.

 

A cool, light haired girl spoke up.

 

“Yuuki-sama, our standpoints may be different, but we don’t think it’s right at this time to be against the Association.”

 

“Now, after all, we have one common enemy. Kaname Kuran, a criminal who is going after the lives of other Purebloods.”

 

Yuuki watched in stunned silence as they gave her another bow, pledging their allegiance and desire to help.

 

She hadn’t gotten much further than that incident when she crossed paths with Hanabusa, who had a faraway look on his face.

 

“So, you’ll be chasing after Kaname-sama?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’ll make sure to destroy as many of those tablets as I can, and counteract them by putting tablets with your blood on the market.”

 

She could tell it was strange for Hanabusa to be speaking so matter of factly about marketing matters, but someone had to take over the pharmaceuticals in such a dire time. With Takuma gone, and Sara having seemingly abandoned the company, Hanabusa needed to take charge and help out while he could.

 

But still, she knew it felt wrong for him, especially so soon after his friend’s death.

 

“Ruka is recovering well from her injuries,” he continued, “we’ll be sure to make sure the Night Class gets home safely.”

 

He bonked Yuuki gently in the face with a large folder.

 

“Don’t worry and go.”

 

She took the folder from his hands and watched him turn to leave.

 

“And, if you can, ask Kaname-sama why my father had to die.”

 

* * *

 

Determined, Yuuki ran to the gate of the Academy, leaping over it with minimal effort and landing on her feet. 

 

She didn’t have time to appreciate her skill, for a familiar voice caught her off guard.

 

“Do you intend to leave without telling anyone?”

 

Yuuki was momentarily surprised by Zero’s presence, but then she smiled. 

 

“Geez,” she sighed, rubbing her head, “I thought you’d definitely come.”

 

Her expression became serious.

 

“But the Association is unable to delegate any duties, they can’t afford to let someone they need come along with me, Mr. Kind-Future-Association-President.”

 

“Just as the girl said,” another voice interjected, “do you really intend to go with her?”

 

Kaito stood on top of one of the pillars, his eyes blazing with anger.

 

“There was no such order, was there Zero?”

 

Before Zero could respond, Kaito leapt from the pillar. A metallic clang rang out as the Bloody Rose blocked Kaito’s attack.

 

“Kaito!” 

 

“This sword belongs to Association President Cross. All that’s left is the Bloody Rose, that girl’s Artemis and a few other anti-vampire weapons. We’ve got to prepare for the worst, and yet you think it’s fine to leave the Association and take that weapon with you?”

 

Zero’s lack of response only served to make Kaito angrier.

 

“You traitor. As your caretaker, I will lock you up right now.”

 

To Kaito’s surprise, Zero grabbed onto the blade of the sword. He gripped it so tightly that he bled. Suddenly, he wrestled it out of the way, then used his free fist to deliver a striking blow to Kaito’s face.

 

The older man fell back to the floor.

 

“That hurt, you bastard!” He cried out, his cheek a deep red.

 

“Say whatever you deem fit, betray us or flee!”

 

Zero, calm as ever, knelt down and held out the sword.

 

“I’m still going.” He said evenly.

 

Kaito trembled just slightly.

 

“Don’t you get it? That’s a Pureblood, she’s the same as those who caused you and my brother to fall into darkness. We are mutually exclusive existences! Their lifespans, and their monstrous strength too.”

 

Yuuki frowned at Kaito, but kept herself tight lipped.

 

Zero reached out with his bloodied hand, and held onto Kaito’s.

 

“I know, Kaito. You ended your brother’s life with these hands.”

 

Leaning forward, Zero wrapped his other arm around Kaito’s back, reminiscent of a distant day where his own twin had perished in his arms.

 

“I know that you didn’t have an emotional outlet. I know.”

 

And he did know, he knew it all too well, for he was the same.

 

_“Live on, and fulfil your goal, Zero.”_

 

“But still, I…”

 

A ghost of a smile finally touched Kaito’s lips.

 

“I see. I understand.”

 

Without warning, Kaito struck Zero in the face, causing him to lurch back.

 

“This is payback, so hurry up and go, do something about Kaname Kuran together and come back.”

 

The two stared at him with wide, stunned eyes.

 

Annoyed, Kaito drew the sword and swung it towards the pair.

 

“I said go!”

 

With haste, Yuuki grabbed onto Zero and dragged him away as fast as she possibly could.

 

Alone, Kaito sighed, clutching the weapon close.

 

“If you’ve made your resolve, then face it and suffer properly before you return, Zero. Prove that you can overcome it.”

 

* * *

 

From the top of the building, holding onto a pair of binoculars, Kaien gasped in awe of the scene that had just unfolded.

 

“What a violent way to drive them away, though I only asked him to send them off.”

 

He whipped around to look at Yagari.

  
“Hey, haven’t your disciples grown to be a bit violent?!”

 

Yagari, who was leaning on a crutch for support, looked and felt disgruntled.

 

“Why did you call me here, I have many problems to deal with right now.”

 

Kaien just smiled.

 

“Hey, Yagari-kun, you wouldn’t want to wander aimlessly around in the dark and cold forest until you die, would you?”

 

Such a question seemed to baffle him.

 

“That’d be no fun.”

 

“I know right?” Kaien agreed, “that’s why when you see a ray of light, you would walk towards it without thinking.”

 

“Well, I guess so.”

 

“Right? Well, it might appear before you someday too. And when it does, no matter how narrow that light may be, you’d try your best to catch it.”

 

“It seems that one of your disciples has already found that ray of light.”


	50. The Secret Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki and Zero make a stop at the Kuran manor, where they find themselves discussing a difficult subject and exploring a room that forces an even more difficult conclusion. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 87

The cart rattled as it moved, the clopping of hooves filling the quiet air with sound. 

 

Yuuki sat towards the edge, parasol in hand, staring into space. Zero was settled close behind her, stretched out, his gaze distant. 

 

“You really don’t have to come along.”

 

She heard him sigh.

 

“We were going to do this together, remember? Don’t take back what you said so easily.”

 

“Same to you, then. You know they say it’s hard to recover when injured by Chairman’s jagged blade. I hope you’ll stop being reckless.”

 

The two sat in silence for the rest of the journey, and even on foot they had little to say to one another. Both of them were deep in thought, and neither knew what to talk about.

 

The pair came to a winding path that led to a large, luxurious looking manor. 

 

She reached into her bag and dug through the folder Hanabusa gave her, retrieving a small set of keys. 

 

“This is the main residence of the Kuran family, the place where I was born.”

 

He watched silently as she unlocked the door.

 

“I thought I should find out just how many residences that person has. This place is also his. Although, I suppose you were already told this by Takamiya-sensei…by Kaito-san.”

 

She stopped short of setting a few feet into the manor, and turned to face him.

 

“If we are going to move together from now on, I should make things clear. About our relationship.”

 

Zero gave her a warning glance, an indication that he wasn’t ready to talk about it. Regardless, she continued.

 

“I cannot live together with you, Zero.”

 

He said nothing.

 

Yuuki cast her eyes down to the floor.

 

“I don’t know what I can say about Kaname. I don’t know how he should answer for his crimes, and I don’t know just who I am in his life any longer. However…”

 

“However, you were his fiancee, and while he’s alive you have that duty to uphold, or so you think?”

 

She closed her eyes.

 

“I should say I belong to him, but I don’t know where I belong. But, I’m a Pureblood, and…”

 

“…and I am someone who will turn to dust someday.” He finished for her again.

 

Their eyes met, hers tinged with an indescribable emotion.

 

“Don’t you hate me?”

 

Zero paused. 

 

“You’re a Pureblood vampire, and the fiancee of the man who ruined my life.”

 

He stepped forward and grasped her wrist.

 

“But, you’re also the benefactor, who saved me with these hands when we first met.”

 

Her eyes widened, but she couldn’t find the words to say.

 

“Hey, what do you think? If everything had been planned, wouldn’t it be the same for our meeting that night? All of our thoughts and feelings about one another, what else would it be had it not been orchestrated?”

 

His eyes bore into hers, quietly serious. 

 

Before she could say anything, he flicked her forehead.

 

“I want to find answers to these questions, that’s why it’s important to come with you. I’m going to see everything with my own eyes. So… don’t pull such a face.”

 

Yuuki rubbed her head, pouting.

 

“It hurts…” she mumbled.

 

With a deep, resigned sigh, she nodded. 

 

“Before I grab some things, I think I need to see once and for all what is hidden in that library room.”

 

Her eyes met his once more.

 

“Would you come with me?”

 

He silently agreed, following her as she made her way through the large, empty home.

 

The library was full of dust. It reminded Yuuki of Nagamichi, after all, it was the Hanabusa family who kept the manor in order. She still couldn’t understand why such a kind person deserved to die. 

 

Shaking away her thoughts, Yuuki headed over to the bookshelf and pulled one particular book back. The bookcase groaned as it moved forward, and when Yuuki pushed it aside it revealed a passageway. 

 

As her and Zero descended the steps, small torches lit themselves up on the walls. It felt cold and eerie, but neither said a word to one another.

 

At the bottom of the steps was a small, dimly lit room. 

 

Yuuki looked unhappy.

 

“The room has been emptied since I came here. There were books here, stacks of them in different languages, and piles of parchment and notes.”

 

She turned her attention to the door. Despite using each key on the bunch, it wouldn’t open.

 

“Even despite having the master keys, not even the Hanabusa’s could access the room.” She muttered.

 

Zero seemed to have an idea. He took off upstairs, to Yuuki’s surprise, but before she could attempt to follow he was heading back.

 

He held the dummy book in hand, and upon opening it they laid eyes on a peculiar looking key that had been placed inside a carving within the book.

 

Tentatively, Yuuki lifted the key from the book. Then, she tried it on the door.

 

It was difficult to turn, as the door was ancient and tightly bolted. 

 

A satisfying _click_ quickly sent the pair of them on edge.

 

With a glance to Zero for reassurance, Yuuki pushed open the door. Realising it was particularly heavy, Zero assisted her in opening it.

 

Once the door finally gave way, Yuuki almost fell over, but she was caught and steadied by Zero.

 

The sight they both saw after turning on the lights rendered her speechless.

 

It looked like a laboratory that had been ransacked. It was filled with clutter, cobwebs and dust. Torn portraits were stacked up against one wall, piles of journals were discarded, and worn pieces of parchment hung off the wall, each filled with scribbles and poorly drawn sketches.

 

The two explored the room in silence, sweeping away dust as they picked up various items and looked through them.

 

For Zero, what he could see and read only affirmed what he already knew from what Hanabusa had given him in that book. 

 

It was also at that moment that Yuuki and Zero both realised that some of the dust belonged not to time, but to the deceased.

 

* * *

 

_The room was only ever opened once after Kaname went to sleep. No one knew about its contents, it was mostly rumours from the servants who witnessed his wife’s distress after she emerged from there._

 

_After the many wars had settled and time went on, Kaname became more withdrawn. It was true, he had lost sense of feeling, of caring, of living. All that he wanted was to find a cure, to set free the woman he never got to say goodbye to._

 

_But no matter how he tried, he was no close to finding any closure._

 

_His wife became afraid when he started to invite vampires into the home, people he called ‘volunteers’, people she’d never see leave again. If people outside of the manor caught wind of his behaviour, it would cause a scandal that may eventually lead to yet another war._

 

_And to make matters worse, Kaname had started to speak of an ultimatum - the eradication of their kind, forcing them to go extinct through slaughter, abandoning the idea of a cure altogether._

 

_It wasn’t a future she wanted for her children, or her grandchildren for that matter._

 

_So when he finally rested, though there was a great reluctance inside her heart, the curious woman found her way into his hidden room._

 

_She never spoke about it again._

 

* * *

 

Yuuki’s gaze rested on a chest, hidden behind a stack of papers. 

 

She approached it cautiously, and took care in lifting it out. Upon lifting the lid, she laid eyes on tattered, aged garments that were all too familiar. Reaching in, she glided her fingers along the fabric of the cloak, recalling the scent of that woman from Kaname’s memories. 

 

Nestled inside the hood, she found a battered photograph that was slightly blurred, but she could make out Kaname and the Ancestress herself, and Kaname was smiling. She couldn’t recall when she’d seen him smile so sincerely. 

 

And finally, it made sense to her. 

 

It was a painful realisation, and Yuuki began to cry. She covered her mouth to try and stifle the sobs, but Zero noticed. He approached, but didn’t come too close, allowing her space. But despite this, she found herself moving closer, resting her head on Zero’s chest, and weeping. 

 

_It was true, Kaname Kuran had never started out as a cruel person. He was born into a family that favoured tradition over love, he was a reserved man who had difficulty with making friends and trusting people. Yet still, he cared for people, he wanted to help people, but as he’d feared he was rejected by them - just as he was by his own family._

 

_But then she became his family, his best friend. She fought through battles with him, listened to him pour out his sorrows, held him through nights when the world seemed to be ablaze and nothing was fair. She taught him to hold onto faith in those humans, but not to lose to the arrogance of a Pureblood’s will and desires._

 

_And then he lost her._

 

_And then he fell apart at the seams._

 

_And then he realised he was in love, and he never got to say goodbye._

 

_Hundreds of years turned to thousands of years. He’d fought countless battles, seen so much death that nothing could disturb him, slaughtered so many people he couldn’t count, and his efforts in finding a cure were going nowhere. His marriage was loveless, his children were distant from him, he had little to do with their offspring._

 

_Over time, Kaname was becoming a feared reclusive King, a mad fool who was revered for his war efforts and the treaty of peace, but little else._

 

_And he did such terrible things to try and fill the void gaping inside his heart and his head._

 

_When experimenting on dead matter or on his own flesh didn’t work, he became desperate and turned to his own people. He even considered his family at some point. He’d never intended for them to die, if his cure had only worked they wouldn’t have suffered so much. But it never did._

 

_When he went to sleep, he had little faith in the words of that Seer. He believed himself to have been so far drowned in delusions that it was just madness, and she was merely feeding on it. He never wanted to wake up again._

 

_But he did, and for those years he couldn’t remember himself he felt the most alive he’d ever been._

 

_And just like those visions, just like the prophetic words given by the Seer, she was born. A beacon of sunlight that beckoned him to come towards the light._

 

_He almost did, until he remembered._

 

_When he remembered the loss he’d suffered, the warning he was given, the fear inside grew to a deep, unsettling paranoia. A deep seed of desire was blooming into something deadly._

 

_Suddenly, vampires and humans didn’t matter. The cause for co-existence was just a facade, vampires would always be beasts in human form, and until they were gone they would always be a threat._

 

_All that mattered to him was finding a way to protect his sunlight, to make sure nothing could take her away again._

 

_But in doing so, in acting uncaring of the lives he destroyed in the process, he found his plans backfiring in the most spectacular way - for his weapon and his precious girl formed a connection he’d seen only once, ten thousand years ago._

 

_It was a bond so dazzling he felt he had to shield his eyes, and he loathed it with all of his heart, and to spend an eternity with someone he’d ripped that shine from was almost too painful to bear._

 

_No matter what, he knew the truth. He knew that even thousands of years wouldn’t change the blood on his hands, and her light wasn’t his to follow, and to touch it would force him to perish - or else to snuff it out._

 

_And so he walked alone into the dark and cold forest, and Yuuki was further away from him than she ever had been in her life._


	51. Unspoken Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki and Zero continue on their journey to capture Kaname and stop Sara. On their way to Isaya's residence, Yuuki has a proposition for Zero that leaves the two with unspoken thoughts and feelings looming in the air. 
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 87

Before leaving, Zero had put the large book that Hanabusa had given him on one of the tables. He wanted to leave it locked away, out of sight and mind, at least until everything had been settled. 

 

Yuuki felt the same about the manor. 

 

She went upstairs for some time to gather a few things, and so Zero decided to sit by the front door and wait. He found his eyes drifting closed, and his breathing softened.

 

The two of them had a lot to talk about, but yet neither ever knew where to start. There was always an invisible barrier, and Zero was hesitant to break through it. It seemed that Yuuki felt the same way. 

 

Faintly, he heard her voice call his name, but she trailed off. 

 

He slowly opened his eyes, only to find her in a slight crouch, reaching a hand out towards him. 

With a soft gasp and reddening cheeks, Yuuki quickly jolted back, holding her hands tightly behind her back as gave him a nervous smile.

 

“You’re done?” Zero asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then, let’s go.”

 

The pair left together, but Yuuki was quickly ahead of him, as though in a great rush.

 

“Wouldn’t it be better to take your time?”

 

Yuuki sighed.

 

“Yeah, next time I guess. This place just doesn’t bring good memories.”

 

Zero frowned at that. _Just what had been going on in their year apart?_

 

Remembering herself, Yuuki waved her hands up.

 

“It’s not what you think, it’s just that…” she fumbled for the right thing to say, but knew she couldn’t make a good excuse, “I think we should hurry, is all.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Without warning, Zero scooped Yuuki up and leapt over the side of the bridge. He sped down the mountain, clutching her petite body tightly to him.

 

“Zero?! Hey, Zero!” She cried, gripping on for dear life.

 

“If we’re going to hurry, it would be faster to go directly down the mountain, rather than following the path.”

 

“But!”

 

“You should keep quiet, for you can only walk sluggishly. You don’t have enough blood. You’ve been providing blood to help with the Night Class and other victims, haven’t you?”

 

Yuuki didn’t reply, but she seemed surprised by his words, perhaps even touched that he seemed to know and be concerned.

 

Once they’d reached the bottom of the mountain, Yuuki was set back on her feet.

 

She straightened herself up, brushing down her skirt, and cleared her throat.

 

“So, where are we heading to now?” Zero asked.

 

“It’ll take us half a day using this town’s high speed rail.” Yuuki replied, pointing out towards the direction of the station.

 

“Okay.”

 

“He’s an old friend of my parents,” she explained, “I’m going to get help from Isaya-san.”

 

“Shouto Isaya, the second oldest Pureblood, huh?”

 

Awkwardly, Yuuki scratched her cheek.

 

“Um, thank you for being concerned about me.” She said.

 

“But I’m eating blood tablets, and I’m not thirsty right now. Sorry for making you misunderstand, a vampire’s nature can be pretty kind sometimes.”

 

He looked at her with an expression that told her he didn’t believe her, and he was right. 

 

Regardless, she didn’t seem to want to let him know she was lacking blood, so he decided not to press the matter further.

 

“I was hoping you could help me instead with writing a speech for tonight.”

 

“…Sure.”

 

* * *

 

She watched him doze in front of her, his chin resting on his hand, and ate her tablets one at a time in silence. 

 

The train rattled and squeaked as it moved, but it wasn’t to the point where it was annoying, thankfully. The noise, for the most part, was drowned out by her own thoughts. It was troubling her that she couldn’t figure out how to talk to Zero, how to act towards him, when it was so natural to her before. Their dynamic had changed, and it would never be the same again, but she still didn’t know just how to adapt to that.

 

“Zero?” 

 

He didn’t respond, seemingly settled into a state of sleep. She couldn’t help but notice the wound on his hand still hadn’t healed, and he looked restless even in slumber.

 

Having made her mind up, Yuuki stood and went to close the shutter on the door. Then, she unwound the choker around her neck, and pierced into her flesh with her fingers. 

 

He heard her call his name, inhaled the sweet nectar that was the scent of her blood, and his eyes shot open when he felt her climbing onto his lap. She straddled him, pinning one wrist against the seat and cupping his face with her other hand. 

 

“How long have you been unsatisfied?” She murmured, her blood dripping onto his cheek.

 

“I know, even if you try to hide it.”

 

He twitched slightly, but otherwise didn’t react, his wide eyes boring into hers.

 

She leaned down and dragged her tongue up his cheek, whispering close to his ear.

  
“This is such a waste.”

 

Their eyes met again and she became serious.

 

“I’ll give you my blood. Your wound is healing too slowly.”

 

His eyes flickered to her neck, and she watched as they began to turn crimson. 

 

Then, he shoved her off of him.

“Stop it!” He practically yelled. She wouldn’t say it, but he sounded as though he was wounded.

 

She regained her composure.

 

“How did you endure your hunger for a whole year? I heard you can take blood tablets now, but when I recall the satisfaction from drinking blood, I understand how painful it is to abstain from it!” 

 

Zero glared at her, and he looked the most menacing and yet the most hurt he’d looked in a long time.

 

The train went through a tunnel, and the two stared at each other in a tense silence.

 

“When night would fall, I would head out to hunt vampires. Occasionally, I drank the blood of those I hunted, until Kaito would return from the look out.”

 

He brought his hand up to his face, his expression twisted with disgust.

 

“I drank their unpleasant, dirty blood, filled with insanity. So-”

 

“If that’s the case-!”

 

But Yuuki didn’t know how to finish it. The two stared at each other once again, but their eyes held a different emotion within them. 

 

She knew there should have been more words to follow, but neither could speak them.

 

“It’s got nothing to do with you.” Zero said finally.

 

“I understand.” Yuuki muttered in response.

 

After a moment, she rubbed her head, her cheeks flushed as she thought over how she had just behaved.

 

“Sorry, it looks like I was misunderstood as well. Do you mind if I take a rest too? We’ve been travelling non stop, so both of us are tired.”

 

He gave a short nod, and after retrieving her choker she curled up on her seat.

 

“Wake me up, alright?” 

 

“That’s if I don’t oversleep.” Zero mumbled, resting his chin on his hand once more.

 

The two rested in silence for the rest of the journey, the unspoken words hanging in the air. The wintry pile of snow on their hearts was melting away, but a mask still remained, hiding all that had ever occurred between them - allowing them to pretend it was all a facade. 

 

But they couldn’t keep hiding forever.

 

* * *

 

As the two approached Isaya’s residence, they were met by a cloaked woman holding an invitation.

 

“As a messenger of my Master, Isaya-sama, I have brought a written invitation for you.” She said.

 

“This evening, we invite you, a Pureblood, and other nobles to a masquerade ball.”


	52. Masquerade Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki and Zero attend the Masquerade, where Yuuki delivers a powerful speech - but despite the dress code, they can't help but find the masks slipping from their hearts, once and for all.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 87
> 
> (Dedicated to Kibo_Ichiro, for being my motivation to keep writing with every single heartfelt review on this story so far.)

The soft swell of music coupled with idle talk, laughter and the romantic lighting of the ballroom did little to put Yuuki’s mind and heart at ease. 

 

She watched as couples danced, fabric swirling as people chatted and giggled beneath masks. Her own mask was clutched tightly in one hand, a cloak obscuring her dress and face from an easy viewing. 

 

The door behind her clicked open, and Isaya’s voice warmed the atmosphere.

 

“Milady,” he greeted in a soothing tone, “is the dress alright for you?”

 

With a grin, Yuuki lifted her cloak to show a sleeveless gown, complete with ribbons, frills and a bustle. Her headpiece was accented with a rose, a black choker with a bow hugged her neck, and short gloves clung to her slim fingers. She was an image of beauty in heels and just a touch of makeup. 

 

“Yes, I’ve managed to fit in it somehow! Thank you very much for preparing his suit too.”

 

Isaya returned her grin appreciatively.

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

He joined her at the balcony.

 

“Where is he?”

 

“He’s faithfully doing his work, as we’ve agreed - inspecting the evening party.”

 

She laid eyes on Zero in the crowd, edging his way around the outskirts of the room, and her heart began to swell in a familiar way. 

 

He'd never looked more handsome, she decided, even from afar.

 

“It’s only until that person makes his appearance.” She added, more to remind herself than anything else.

 

“This is still a ball, aren’t you going to dance with him?”

 

A memory flashed in her mind, and her eyes softened.

 

“He refused to dance in the past.” She said with a smile.

 

There was a pause and her face fell.

 

“It’s fine,” she continued, “Zero’s a Hunter, and I’m a Pureblood.” 

 

Deciding not to press the subject further, Isaya took a different approach.

 

“Though I appreciate what you intend to do tonight, I can’t help but find it odd that you’re also laying such a dangerous trap.”

 

Their eyes met, but his held no malice or suspicion.

 

“My friends’ children have become the focus of a problem, but yet I can only remain a spectator, that’s all.”

 

He fastened his mask onto his face and held out his hand.

 

“May I have this dance with you, precious daughter of my old friends?”

 

She knew she had a speech to prepare for, but she was sure one dance couldn't hurt.

 

So she accepted.

 

* * *

 

It was surreal to be dancing in almost complete anonymity, a mask shielding her identity, but Yuuki didn’t mind it so much. She wasn’t even worried about lacking grace, or stepping on Isaya’s foot. The atmosphere was uplifting, gentle, soft. 

 

“Is this your first time at a Masquerade?”

 

“Yes. It’s a weird feeling, to be hiding my identity. No one has come to give me their greetings, yet it makes me feel at ease. But I can tell people are nervous. They’re waiting for that person to appear.”

 

The song drew to a close, and Yuuki curtseyed.

 

“I must take my leave now, I have a speech to give after all.”

 

Isaya smiled kindly at her and gave a gentle bow.

  
“Of course, milady.”

 

* * *

 

She’d never given a speech before. In fact, it was nerve wracking enough at the banquet to introduce herself, let alone address a ballroom full of vampires. 

 

Incensed, disillusioned vampires who hated her brother and were siding with Sara Shirabuki, at that.

 

Still, as she stepped onto the small stage and made her presence known, her mask tucked away for the time being, she felt a strange comfort. After all, Zero was keeping an eye on things, and his presence was oddly reassuring.

 

The whispering was almost immediate. She could hear mentions of her name, some who seemed to be in awe and others in shock or disgust at her showing her face after what Kaname had done.

 

Yuuki held onto the microphone just a bit too tightly and cleared her throat.

 

“My name is Yuuki Kuran. I was born into a world where vampires and humans were finally starting to co exist peacefully. My parents were close friends with the hunter, Kaien Cross. He later raised me, and taught me those important values where they couldn’t.”

 

Hushed voices spoke her parents names.

 

“The truth is that my parents did not commit suicide. They were murdered in cold blood by my uncle Rido, an uncle who also tried to murder my brother and I.”

 

A gasp resounded through the ballroom, and more voices began to whisper. 

 

“The truth is that my parents, until the end, believed in a peaceful society where vampires and humans could walk side by side without fear.”

 

The more she spoke, and the more she saw the genuine compassion on many of their faces, the more confident she grew. 

 

Kaname had her believe that they were leeches for the sweet honey of a Pureblood, that it was entirely manipulated, that they would overthrow given the choice.

 

But she saw that it wasn’t the case at all, it was far more than that.

 

“The crimes that my brother has committed, the hurt and devastation that he has caused, are acts that only he can answer for. I wish that I could tell you why my brother has done what he has to our people, but his values are not ones that I share.”

 

The guests seemed genuinely shocked by her words, as though it was a great taboo for her to be speaking out against her own brother, her own fiancé.

 

“However,” she continued, “he is not the only one now who needs to answer for his crimes. Sara Shirabuki carries equal guilt and has to face equal punishment for her own actions.”

 

“For the murder of her fiancé, along with numerous other Purebloods, along with the illegal acts of turning and enslaving humans without their explicit consent, she has twisted the truth and poisoned the minds of my people, and for that I cannot forgive her.”

 

A resounding murmur of ‘Sara-sama’ and horrified disbelief rang through the crowd. 

 

“I may be young and lacking in experience, but I want to learn and I want to continue where my parents had left off. I want to do right by them, and right by my people. I do not want vampires and humans to live in a world of hatred and war once again, nor do I want the extinction of either race. I say this as someone who has lived a life belonging to each race - human and vampire.”

 

The news seemed to come as a surprise, as did everything else she was saying, and the vampires were running out of gossip or opinions to whisper.

 

“There’s a battle on the horizon which will be difficult to overcome, but all I can do is ask for your help - no manipulation, no underhanded tactics, just… just a heartfelt request.”

 

The room became very quiet. 

 

The guests spared glances to one another, but no one had anything to say - not even a snarky or sarcastic remark left anyone’s lips.

 

A 17 year old Princess who they’d never known, who had lived as both human and Pureblood vampire in her short years of life, was pleading for help to save the co-existence between vampires and humans, to save her people on both sides.

 

She was sacrificing her brother, the King, allowing him to be punished for his crimes, exposing the truth that was once mere gossip. They knew from her interactions that she was speaking in earnest, and that she truly wasn’t trying to manipulate their bond to a Pureblood.

 

It was so much to take in that the room was left speechless.

 

Awkwardly, Yuuki rubbed her head.

 

“Thank you.” She said with a bow, about to leave the stage.

 

“We’ll stop them both!” A voice called.

 

“We’ll help you, Yuuki-sama!” Came another.

 

Soon, a crescendo of voices called out one after another, pledging their support, telling their stories of how they’d felt wronged or lost, expressing hope. 

 

It was enough to make Yuuki want to cry. 

 

She bowed again, giving her thanks with a grateful smile. 

 

And even Zero, from what she could see, had a small smile too.

 

* * *

 

After a few songs had played and she had time to gather herself, Yuuki took her leave to the balcony. It was thankfully empty, and she removed her mask with a sigh.

 

“Will he come?” She murmured to herself, staring out into the gardens.

 

Footsteps approached, and she turned around.

 

Zero walked towards her, his expression unreadable, a mask obscuring his face.

 

“Thank you for helping me with the speech, Ze-”

 

His fingers pressed against her lips, quietening her. Electricity sparked inside, warming her cooling body, sending her heart on edge.

 

“Isn’t it etiquette to hide one’s name when the mask is worn?” He asked in a low voice.

 

His fingers slipped from her lips, and she put her mask back on.

 

“Good evening,” she greeted with a smile, “it’s our first time meeting, isn’t it? Who might you be?”

 

She shook her head slightly.

 

“Just kidding.”

 

Zero held out his bandaged hand, but never said a word. 

 

And without any words exchanged at all, the two were swept into a slow dance. 

 

She gazed up at him, and he right back at her. 

 

The music was a soft crescendo of strings, playing a song that only they felt like they could hear. Indeed, it was almost like there was no one else in the world dancing, speaking, living. The air was heavy with wine and sweet perfume, and Yuuki found herself getting drunk off of the romance of it all.

 

He made it seem easy, an effortless glide in steps that seemed to sweep her off her feet. 

 

“So you can dance after all?” She murmured in disbelief.

 

He made a soft noise, perhaps a gentle laugh at her words.

 

“You’re very similar to a precious girl who died a year ago.”

 

His words caught her by surprise.

 

“…You too,” she replied, “you’re similar to the guy whom I worried about and wanted to protect…”

 

_He was practically drenched in blood when she first saw him. Kaien was introducing him, but she couldn’t hear a single sound. All she knew, when her deep brown eyes met his cool lavender ones, was that she was going to protect him no matter what._

 

“…But I hurt him.”

 

_It was a simpler time back then. He had a hard time accepting her care for vampires, but he could never refuse her affections. She was okay with his cold, with his mean and his hurt. She enveloped him in her warmth, her fingers gliding through his hair._

 

“You’re a different person though, aren’t you? He isn’t someone who would dance with a vampire, after all.”

 

_Over time he reciprocated with his own warmth, though it was in smaller gestures. He wanted to protect her from the threats around her, but most of all he wanted to protect her from himself. She never forgot the first night he came for her, grabbing her hand as he lead her back home, holding on so tightly as though she could disappear if he let go._

 

Yuuki felt melancholic at the memories inside her heart, her mind, her soul. Why did it have to be this way? Why did it turn out like this?

 

_The two were inseparable by high school, but yet people knew better than to make assumptions about their relationship. Playful punches, gentle rubs of the head, well meaning scoldings and then…_

 

Zero squeezed her hand as they slowed to a stop, and he began to lean down. 

 

_…and then caring for and protecting a precious boy, who turned out to be a vampire. Giving him blood, allowing him into her heart, holding him close as he fed, listening to him as he panted against her ear._

 

In kind, Yuuki began to lean upwards, pushing up on her tiptoes. 

 

_It was never just a normal friendship, it was always something more - but neither knew when to make the move until it was too late._

 

Yuuki knew it now, and she wondered if he felt regret too. For all of those years she was so blind to it, she was so blind to the affections she held for a guy she wanted to treasure more than anything else in the world.

 

Their lips met and everything else no longer mattered, it all faded into obscurity. 

 

She was in love with him. 

 

She’d buried that love within her heart, hidden beneath a mask and shielded by a snowstorm, but it was real and it held an intensity that no other man’s blood could satisfy. 

 

He held her close and their hands entwined as they kissed. She didn’t know how long it had been, time seemed infinite and yet non existent in that moment. 

 

A cold wind brought a harsh end to the moment, and they were forced into reality.

 

A reality where Kaname Kuran stood, masked and cloaked, watching the two of them in their lover’s embrace from the doorway.

 

And suddenly, Yuuki’s world came crashing down all over again.


	53. A Maiden's Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki and Zero give chase in the hopes of finally capturing Kaname. Isaya meets with Kaname, who gives him a task. Sara prepares for her next move, and revelations continue to be made between Zero and Yuuki about their feelings and the events within the past year apart.
> 
> **Includes written/revised scenes from Chapter 88

Yuuki removed the mask from her face, her eyes trained on Kaname’s dark figure. 

 

Zero had turned his head to look over at Kaname, who kept watching with an unreadable expression on his face. 

 

And then, he bolted. 

 

“Kaname, wait!” Yuuki cried out, making an attempt to break into a run after him, only to find he’d disappeared.

 

“He’s gone…No, he’s after Isaya-san!”

 

Frustrated, she tore open the skirts of her dress as Zero pulled off his mask and the two gave chase properly, neither knowing if their hearts were racing from the exhilaration of the kiss or the thrill of the chase. 

 

* * *

 

The mask shattered as Kaname threw it down to the ground, his body quietly trembling with an emotion he dared not let surface. Isaya studied him carefully before speaking.

 

“I thought that it was pointless to continue being a spectator, given I’d eventually be a target anyway. I hoped to have a chance to talk to you alone, so I organised this masquerade ball.”

 

Kaname lowered his hood, but made no effort to reply.

 

“Welcome, Kaname-kun. Have you come to take my life, or to request my assistance?”

 

Isaya moved from his chair to kneel at Kaname’s feet.

 

“After all, you are the only remaining Ancestor,” he continued, “the majority of weapons capable of slaying Purebloods have disappeared, the remaining number of Purebloods are beyond your capacity to slay alone, and certainly beyond that woman’s too.” 

 

He wondered if the mention of Sara stung at all, but if it did Kaname didn’t let it show.

 

“Even given the circumstances, you came here knowing it was a trap. So, I have to ask, what errand is there for me to accomplish?”

 

“A long time ago, back before things became difficult, I’d toyed with the idea of turning Yuuki human using my life. However, circumstances have changed, and if she continues to be an interference in this war, then…”

 

* * *

 

 

There was quite a commotion in the ballroom. 

 

The music was drowned out by the chattering of voices, speculating and gossiping about what could be going on. 

 

“Isn’t it strange? Isaya-san, the Kuran Princess and her attendant all excused themselves so suddenly.”

 

The bitter voice of a woman cut through the noise.

 

“He must have arrived, the Head of Kuran. He ended the lives of her younger brother and my husband. We mustn’t let him escape!”

 

* * *

 

 

Zero and Yuuki both were surprised to see Senri and Rima blocking their path at Isaya’s door. After Takuma’s death, they had every reason to feel hatred towards Purebloods. 

 

Yuuki noticed, though, that they both had a far away look in their eyes.

 

“They’re in the middle of doing business. We cannot let you pass.” They said, almost in perfect sync. 

 

Isaya bowed once again.

 

“If it comes to it, and I have the chance to bid farewell to this cursed body, then I will gladly do so in your place.”

 

The doors burst open, with Yuuki and Zero forcing their way in while struggling to shove Senri and Rima out of the way. 

 

Kaname turned to give Yuuki a half smile, before leaping out of the window. Yuuki watched helplessly, and as expected by the time she got to the window he was gone.

 

Senri and Rima looked at each other, disoriented and confused.

 

Zero came to Yuuki’s side as she stared out into the night.

 

“It’s impossible to stop him, so long as he’s focused on escaping.”

 

She paused, and then gave him a sad smile.

 

“Indeed.”

 

* * *

 

 

Sara curled up in her chair, cradling a wine glass as her favourite girls slept around her. 

 

At last, one of her birdies came home, and knelt before her as she delivered the accounts of that evening.

 

To the girl’s surprise, Sara’s face curled into a satisfied smirk.

 

“Even if she’s won some support and is trying to counteract the tablets, I’m sure her beloved brother won’t have her in the way for long.” She purred, taking a swig of her wine.

 

“Either way, it just makes things all the more interesting.”

 

Sara stood up, an action which almost immediately made her girls stir.

 

“Sara-sama.”

 

“Sara-sama!”

 

“Prepare my outfit and draw me a bath. We have work to do.”

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuki could barely sleep. 

 

As a result, she was at Zero’s door before their agreed time to meet. She could smell the faint scent of his blood coupled with the aftermath of a brisk shower.

 

After taking a breath, she knocked at the door.

 

“Are you done preparing?”

 

From inside, Zero pulled the towel from his neck.

 

“Just a bit longer. You’re fast.”

 

There was a pause.

 

“I’m relieved that nothing happened to Isaya-san or the other guests. Um, thank you again for helping me…with the speech.”

 

“What Isaya Shouto said to Kaname Kuran, aren’t you curious about it?”

 

She sighed.

 

“I am.”

 

Another pause.

 

“Recalling what happened last night, there’s many things…like the fact I didn’t know you could dance.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Gently, Yuuki placed a hand on the door, and smiled.

“It was a fantasy, the Zero I know is supposed to be unable to dance. I recalled the time where we had the festival at the Academy. During the decoration of the venue, you arrived blood stained all over, you rejected girls who wanted to dance with you so easily.”

 

She pressed her head against the door.

 

“Hey, since the masquerade ball…no, it’s been a thought for a while, really. Well, regardless, it’s been on my mind.”

 

He waited for her to continue.

 

“If…If you were not a Hunter, nor I a vampire, if we met as normal humans, how would it turn out to be? Would I have thought that you are ‘so cool’, things like that? You’d not have had to stay behind a year, but you wouldn’t get along with Kaname-Oniisama regardless. On the day of the festival, I would coincidentally find ‘Zero-senpai’, who was bloodied up from a fight.”

 

There was laughter in her voice.

 

“And I bet I will pass you a bandaid and-“

 

“-and say “it’s no good to fight” and become angry.”

 

Yuuki’s heart stopped in her chest at Zero’s words.

 

“Wh-“

 

“You’d be angry, but still take care of my wounds. You’d obediently take care of ‘Zero-senpai’. And you’d wonder-”

 

“-I’d wonder what would happen…after that.”

 

She leaned away from the door as Zero opened it, and the two gazed deeply at one another, neither knowing what to say next.

 

Her mouth opened, then closed, and then she finally found the words.

 

“How did you know what I was going to say?”

 

He looked at her with eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.

 

“On the night of the banquet, I’d met with Aidou-senpai. He gave me…He delivered your letters.”

 

Her face went from ghostly white to beetroot in a matter of seconds. She reached up to cover her face, feeling tears collecting in the corners of her eyes.

 

“You weren’t supposed to see them, ever!” She squeaked, closing her eyes tightly.

 

“…But I’m glad that you wrote them to me.” He replied, his eyes casting down towards the floor.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Had I known what had been going on, had I known just how you’d been feeling, then…”

 

“…then…”

 

The two of them looked at each other once more.

“Did you mean what you’d said in those letters?”

 

Her lip trembled, her face flushed and her eyes gathered more tears, but yet she couldn’t respond as he stared at her.

 

After a moment of silence, Zero shook his head.

 

“Nevermind, let’s go.”

 

Before he could move past her, she blurted out.

 

“Are you thirsty?”

 

Zero was taken aback by the question. He furrowed his brow at her.

 

“I am, too. There’s a fight waiting for us, it’s better for us both to have our energy up.”

 

She stepped towards him, and he didn’t stop her from leaning up to his neck. She could also feel his breath quicken as he inhaled her scent, and knew he’d share her blood too.

 

Before sinking her fangs into Zero’s pale neck, the blushing 17 year old murmured.

 

“I’d meant what I’d said. Every word.”


	54. Unravelling Her Unspoken Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Around a year ago, Yuuki began to write letters to Zero. As the revelation of his knowledge about said letters comes to light, so too does some of their contents, unravelling written fragments of a maiden's heart.

_Around a year ago…_

 

As soon as she could get her hands on the stationery, she’d began to write letters. 

 

The first was to Yori, a sincere letter filled with apologies and reassurances that she was doing okay, regardless of whether or not it was the truth. She expressed hope that Yori was well, signed her name, and folded the paper inside an envelope. 

 

But then, the letters to Zero began. 

 

> _Zero,_
> 
>  
> 
> _I know you will never read this letter, but I’m writing it regardless._
> 
>  
> 
> _It’s weird, isn’t it? I suppose I’ve always had these strange habits, but sometimes it feels better to write these things down and pretend that you’re reading along._
> 
>  
> 
> _I hope you’re doing okay._
> 
>  
> 
> _I’ve sat down to write this, but yet I don’t know what else to say right now._
> 
>  
> 
> _Yuuki._

 

She’d felt stupid writing the first letter, and was tempted to burn it, but it ended up in her drawer and over time more letters accumulated there. 

 

> _Zero,_
> 
>  
> 
> _I believe it’s been a while since I have written to you, I’m still adjusting to the movement of time. The long days I’d lived through as a human feel like mere minutes at times. I guess I’d only really felt the passage of time because I’d been so…_
> 
>  
> 
> _Well, you see, I’ve found it hard to adapt. I can finally begin to understand the pain you must have felt, the thirst is something I’m struggling with, to the point where I’d been locked away for a period of time. Kaname-Oniisama warned that it’d happen again if I didn’t learn to use my fangs, he said I was out of control at times._
> 
>  
> 
> _Though it’s a bad thing to say, I find myself feeling envious of your strength for those four years._
> 
>  
> 
> _Yuuki._

 

Her letters slowly became more fluently written, in the sense that she felt able to talk through them honestly. Sometimes she’d write menial things about her day or her week, and other times she’d write about things she was feeling that she could never say aloud.

 

> _Zero,_
> 
>  
> 
> _It’s a terrible thing to say, but I really don’t enjoy being waited on hand and foot._
> 
>  
> 
> _I guess it’s something expected of a Princess, something ordinary girls can only dream of._
> 
>  
> 
> _I’d always thought I was ordinary, in some ways I feel I still am, but…_
> 
>  
> 
> _In any case, I’m still useless in heels. Hopefully I’ll improve in them, but I’ve never been good with pin heels. I’m surprised I managed as well as I did at the dance (ha ha)._
> 
>  
> 
> _Most of my closet consists now of dresses. I don’t really mind, but it still seems strange to look into the mirror and take myself seriously. In fact, sometimes I look in the mirror and I find it hard to recognise the person looking back at me…it’s silly, isn’t it?_
> 
>  
> 
> _I wonder how you are managing to stay fashionable without my guidance…_
> 
>  
> 
> _Just kidding._
> 
>  
> 
> _Yuuki._

 

Though she wouldn’t tell anyone, it made Yuuki feel just a bit less alone when she’d write to him.

 

> _Zero,_
> 
>  
> 
> _I looked out into the flower garden today._
> 
>  
> 
> _I wasn’t allowed outside, I don’t think I’m trusted not to wander off, but I found the perfect view from one of the windows. I miss the sunshine and the outdoors, but even now the light hurts my eyes somewhat. I suppose when I’m allowed out, I’ll have to carry a parasol with me._
> 
>  
> 
> _I just wish I could go out sooner._
> 
>  
> 
> _I’m told it’s for safety, but I can’t help but feel like a child. Kaname-Oniisama is often away for a long time, and though I know he is busy it gets very lonely._
> 
>  
> 
> _I’m starting to do better at my studies. In fact, I managed to get through a whole book for my upcoming lessons when I was sat at the window. I’m hoping that I can get better grades, if not anything else._
> 
>  
> 
> _Are you still at the Academy?_
> 
>  
> 
> _If so, don’t slack off!_
> 
>  
> 
> _Yuuki._
> 
>  
> 
> _P.S. Please take care of Yori-chan for me._
> 
>  

After a time, her letters began to involve a topic she struggled to bring up before.

 

> _Zero,_
> 
>  
> 
> _I’ve been thinking a lot about that day on the battlefield, about how the two of us had parted ways that day._
> 
>  
> 
> _Sometimes, when I am left alone I daydream about how differently things would have been, had I been a human as well as you. In fact, it was something I’d thought about as I blew the candles out for my birthday. I still can’t believe I’m 17._
> 
>  
> 
> _You’d be my senior, because you’d not have been held back a year. Even then, I know you and Kaname-Oniisama would not get along. You would be the cool senpai who I would find before our festival dance, covered in blood from a brawl. I bet I would pass you a bandaid and say that ‘it’s no good to fight’, and become angry._
> 
>  
> 
> _Yes, I’d be angry, but I’d still take care of your wounds. I’d obediently take care of you, Zero-senpai, and…_
> 
>  
> 
> _I wonder what would have happened after that?_
> 
>  
> 
> _Maybe nothing._
> 
>  
> 
> _Yuuki._
> 
>  

Her last letter was written on a snowy day.

 

> _Zero,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Are you out in the snow today? I still haven’t been let outside, but I can smell it and it made me think of that day again._
> 
>  
> 
> _It always replays in my mind, and it makes my chest hurt._
> 
>  
> 
> _Each time it hurts, each time my throat dries and my fangs throb, I think back to those days together. Did you suffer this way, too? Do you still suffer this way now, I wonder?_
> 
>  
> 
> _Zero, what are_

 

Her words were cut short by the onset of those memories and the arrival of her nosey blonde tutor, and so her last letter was never finished.

 

It had, however, left behind a question, half written and left lingering both on the page and within her mind.

 

> _What are you thinking about right now?_


	55. A Storm is Brewing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria and Kaito face a difficult conversation following the fulfilment of their agreement. Yuuki and Zero find themselves in the midst of a sudden and violent attack. Kaien laments the upcoming war and its impact on the future, as the hunters prepare a new plan to protect the innocents.

Maria stood at the window, watching the trio of hunters assigned to the area and, by extension, her home as they patrolled in silence. 

 

“Thank you again, for keeping your word.”

 

From near the doorway Kaito stirred, shifting his weight with his arms folded across his chest.

 

“I guess I should thank you for keeping yours, too.” He grumbled, a hesitant look on his face.

 

She smiled. It couldn’t have been easy for him, someone who held such a deep hatred for vampires, to show such gratitude to one. 

 

Especially when it was one who was related to the Pureblood who turned Zero.

 

“I can still be of more help, you know.”

 

“No,” he interjected firmly, “I think you should stay out of the way from this point.”

 

For a moment, she appeared quite hurt by his words. 

 

“I know that you’re moving the furnace to the Academy, now it’s been evacuated.”

 

He stiffened as she turned to face him.

 

“Please, I’m happy that my family are safe, but I know how dire things are and it’ll only get worse. I’ve heard whispers of an army that’s like no other, I know that the humans are more vulnerable than ever now that the furnace has taken away valuable weapons.”

 

“What are you suggesting?”

 

She clasped her hands together, her eyes once again brimming with that familiar earnest.

 

“Let my eyes help to guide the humans to safety, and allow me to fight alongside you, Zero-kun and the others.” 

 

Something inside twinged as Kaito stared at her, something that scared him a bit. 

 

“…No.” He said finally, glancing away so as not to see the look on her face.

 

“But, I-”

 

“You’ll be a liability,” he bit out, turning his back to her, “be an obedient vampire and stay here.” 

 

Helplessly, Maria watched him leave, frowning as tears brimmed in her eyes. 

 

She was going to prove him wrong, one way or another.

 

* * *

 

The train ride back to town started off silently, with the two sitting opposite one another as they did before. 

 

Of course, this time Yuuki had insisted on a snack to bring with her, so she dug in before long as Zero stared out of the window. 

“What are you thinking about?” She asked between bites.

 

“Once they’ve evacuated the Academy, I suppose that’ll be the most logical place to move the furnace.”

 

“Oh.” 

 

Quietly, she finished her food, crunching the packaging into a little ball.

 

“I suppose that’s where it’ll all come to an end. It’s ironic really, isn’t it?”

 

His eyes met hers, and she smiled sadly.

 

“Yes,” she continued, “in all ways, it’s ironic. A selfless sacrifice being tarnished by a selfish war for power over its resources, a selfless idea of co-existence ending in war and ruin. I suppose the humans will know the truth in the worst possible way, and then what…?”

 

Her eyes cast downwards at her lap.

 

“Then we do what we can to pick up the pieces and make it right again.”

 

They looked at each other once more, her heart fluttering with promise. 

 

“We?”

 

He pouted slightly, cutting off their gaze. The smile crept back onto her face at his sudden bashfulness.

 

“Thank you, Zero.”

 

The train approached its stop, only to suddenly come to a screeching halt that almost forced Yuuki out of her seat. 

 

“What-”

 

_BOOM_.

 

The explosion couldn’t have been far, and it left the train and its carriages rocking from the impact of the blast. The pair scrambled to their feet unsteadily, gripping onto whatever they could. Zero tried his best to look out of the window, despite the billowing smoke covering it. 

 

“What is it?”

 

He frowned, but didn’t give her a reply. 

 

That is, until he saw the glowing red eyes emerging from the smoke.

 

She was surprised by his sudden jerking upright, an alarmed expression painting his features. He grabbed her hand and pulled her quite forcefully out of the carriage.

 

“Zero, what is it?!” She cried, stumbling as she was dragged along.

 

“Whoever they are, they likely know you’re here.”

 

Her heart dropped like a stone.

 

“They’re trying to kill me?”

 

He shook his head.

 

“If it’s for Sara, you’re more valuable as a live hostage. If it’s for Kaname Kuran…”

 

She swallowed, the fear creeping like bile up her throat.

 

“What do we do?”

 

“I’m going to get you out of here.”

 

“But there’s innocents on this train!”

 

“I know that!” He snapped, “That’s why when I find you a safe way out, you have to run.”

 

She tried to yank her hand away.

 

“Wait, Zero…Stop!”

 

“Yuuki, you-”

 

“I’m not leaving you here! I won’t, Zero, please!” 

 

He stopped, his grip on her hand still as firm. 

 

After a moment, their eyes met and a look of understanding and concern passed between them, a silent conversation they’d had many times before in the past.

 

Reluctantly, he let go of her hand. She rubbed it, but smiled all the same.

 

Another small explosion shook the whole train, and Zero pulled Yuuki into a secure embrace to stop her from falling. They both could hear the screams, and watched in horror as further up the aisle a group of vampires climbed through a freshly torn hole in the train, their eyes glowing a brilliant red. 

 

Everything seemed to move in slow motion at that moment, the noise drowned out into a vacuum. The pair stared at the vampires, then at one another, and drew their weapons in anticipation. 

 

And then, they charged together, thorny vines and butterflies entangling their surroundings. 

 

* * *

 

Kaien stared up at the new site for the furnace with tired eyes. 

 

It didn’t take long for Yagari to find him, but he didn’t have any good news to bear.

 

“It seems that woman is taking on a new tactic. A train has been targeted on its way to the central station. I suspect someone of importance was aboard.”

 

Kaien didn’t move, but Yagari sensed the tension seizing up his body.

 

“You already know who was aboard.”

 

Yagari took a puff of his cigarette, and decided to change the topic slightly.

 

“They’re saying since she made that grand mourning speech of hers, civilians are being terrorised by otherwise peaceful vampires who have suddenly turned.”

 

“I suspect they were given contaminated tablets.” Kaien interjected, “Unless we can produce the counteracting ones faster and force the consumption of them, it’ll be an almost impossible task in terms of keeping it at bay.”

 

Yagari nodded, throwing the cigarette to the ground and crushing it beneath his heel.

 

“That’s why I’ve ordered for an evacuation of the town to the countryside and any vacant estates available to us. The main target will be the furnace here, but if there truly is a massive army hiding in plain sight then we can’t take any chances that the nearby areas won’t be affected.”

 

Kaien swallowed, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach, but he made a gesture of agreement.

 

“I wish that they could have known the truth about vampire existence differently.” He admitted solemnly.

 

Yagari bit his tongue before he could comment, understanding it would only wound Kaien further than he could possibly take. It seemed to be his darkest hour, and Yagari knew he had to respect that for now.

 

“I’ll begin the proceedings.” He said finally, before leaving Kaien alone with his thoughts.

 

* * *

 

The sight of dust and the smell of blood flooded Yuuki’s senses, leaving her feeling nauseated. 

 

Despite this, she returned Artemis to her bag and hastily assisted Zero in rescuing the people who had locked themselves or were trapped inside of their carriages, escorting them out in small groups and taking them to safety. 

 

Neither said much to one another the whole time, but they didn’t need to. 

 

It was afterwards, as they were heading away from the scene, that Yuuki pulled Zero into the forestry beside the tracks and hungrily indulged in his blood. He let her, a reassuring arm wrapped around her waist, listening as her heart raced inside her chest. 

 

Afterwards, they set off towards the town, anxiously wondering what could be waiting for them there.

 

It would turn out to be worse than they could have ever anticipated.


End file.
